When Erin Greig joined the tall ship Concordia as a 17-year-old trainee, she simply wanted to see the world. But her passion for travel led her on a career path that ten years later resulted in her breaking new ground in the island’s maritime history.

This summer the 27-year-old became the first Bermudian woman to gain the Junior Navigator’s Certificate from Warsash Maritime Academy in England and become an Officer of the Watch.

Ms Greig has no plans on stopping there; she is eyeing further sea experience in the commercial shipping world as well as a Master Mariner’s qualification farther down the line.

“I was very fortunate because while I was on the training ships there were female officers and captains I met and learnt from,” she said.

“In the commercial shipping world just 2 per cent of the workforce are women; but that is where I want to go next. I have learnt all about these ships in my studies so it would be a shame not to use that knowledge and experience.

“I have thought about how I’m the first Bermudian woman to do this, but it’s important that women know pursuing a career like this is possible.

“I would encourage any female or male interested in taking this path to reach out to me because I have been given lots of help along the way.”

Ms Greig grew up in Bermuda but did little sailing as a child until she signed up with the Class Afloat initiative in 2007 and set off around the world on board the Concordia.

“It was the first time I had really been passionate about something,” she said. “In ten months we visited countries in the Baltic, the Mediterranean, Africa and South America, but I also began to learn about sailing the ship.

“I put a lot of extra time into learning all those skills; I found it a real challenge.”

After leaving the Concordia, Ms Greig embarked on a philosophy degree in Halifax. She completed two years of the three-year course before setting off on a gap year on board another tall ship, Sorlandet. Ms Greig never returned to university, instead between 2010 and 2016 she worked on board the training vessels Sorlandet and Picton Castle as part of the crew teaching young sailors the tricks of the trade.

At the beginning of this year, she enrolled at Warsash Maritime Academy to take the Officer of the Watch course.

“We did in six months what the cadets do in two years so it was a really intensive course,” she said.

“There were 26 in my class. All men and most of them from India. I don’t think they really knew how to take it when a woman was getting better grades than them, but it made me work harder.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself as I knew I only had one chance at this, so I was overjoyed when I was told I had passed.”

Ms Greig completed the course in August and returned to Bermuda to be with her family while she prepares for her next maritime move.

“I could not have got where I have without my parents and my very supportive family,” she said.

“I have also received a lot of help along the way from Kenneth Bertram from Workforce Development, Angelique Burgess from Concordia Maritime and my mentor Deputy Pilot Warden Mario Thompson.”

Mr Thompson described Ms Greig’s achievements as “a credit to her and an inspiration to others”.

He added: “This is predominately a male-orientated occupation and it bodes well for Erin, women in Bermuda and women globally for that matter.

“Erin has the ability and a healthy attitude to match what it takes for a young navigation officer to go all the way to one day earn her Master Mariner’s licence. No doubt, if she put in the time and takes it wave by wave that she will get the desired results.”