I will never give up easily despite hardships because I am doing what I like.
Joanna Kwok
- First Female Chief Engineer of Hong Kong on Board Oceangoing Vessel
- Marine Engineer
- Graduate of IVE in 2007
The shipping industry is traditionally male-dominated, but Joanna is an exception leading the way for more women to take up a vocation in the sector. She obtained the chief engineer qualification in 2019 becoming an outstanding female engineer to achieve the result.
Joanna loves working on machines. She enrolled in the IVE Higher Diploma in Mechanical Engineering programme which in turn has opened the door to a professional career in the industry. Immediately before graduation, she came across the recruitment drive from a merchant shipping firm. Joanna was drawn to the new opening, hoping to have the opportunity to see the world. Little did she imagine that she would grow to love the ocean world and work on board ships for more than a decade, rising through the ranks from a cadet to the engineer. Her success can be attributed, in no small part, to the solid professional knowledge acquired at IVE.
The choppy seas are akin to life challenges which are bound to arise in the pursuit of one’s dream. Joanna exhorts young people not to run away from difficulties. With perseverance, they will reach their destination one day.