Life ashore with all the excitement of a seagoing career.

(From Lloyds List)

Byline: Worldwide experience has helped Julia Salton win respect in her job as senior personnel officer at Northern Marine Management

I BEGAN my seagoing career in 1996, aged 25. I had graduated from the University of Edinburgh with an honours degree in commerce and had been employed with various shore-based companies in administrative roles.

I felt that I still needed a greater challenge and that the maritime industry would offer this.

I approached my employer, Caledonian MacBrayne, who agreed to sponsor my training through a cadetship. I spent my seagoing training assigned to vessels operated by Caledonian MacBrayne, Blue Star and Great White Fleet.

This offered not only a variety of vessel types and trades, but also the opportunity for worldwide travel and the experience of working with multinational crews and officers.

In 1999, I completed my cadetship, qualified with an HND in nautical science and received my Officer of the Watch Certificate of Competency. I was appointed second officer on one of the Caledonian MacBrayne passenger ferries trading on the west coast of ...