Anja Boytang still clearly remembers her five voyages as a cadet. She remembers the feeling of being uncertain and left to herself on board a large vessel, which was worlds apart from the familiar school life.
“Our teachers used to say to us that on board a ship, we should always begin testing the waters first. That’s good advice since it’s a small community with its own unwritten rules, which you have to acquire in order to merge in”. Anja Boytang goes on explaining that a cadet’s life is often about managing yourself among different cultures and nationalities.
During her time as a cadet, Anja Boytang occasionally felt like being in the way, just like she also witnessed that the person who had the responsibility of her training did not actually take the time to do so. For several reasons. Either because the officer did not want to, or simply because he or she could not handle the job.
Everything changed when Anja Boytang met Tommy Tjagvad Kristiansen, the captain of GUDRUN MÆRSK on her last voyage as a cadet. That was where she found out that a mentor can play a crucial part in your future carrier at sea.
“It was my last cadet training course and unlike my previous voyages, this time I opted out of being accompanied by another cadet from the school. I wanted to stand on my own two feet, and Tommy let that happen. He demonstrated confidence in my abilities and allowed me to take on more responsibility,” Anja Boytang says.
For example, Anja Boytang’s new mentor gave her the assignment of independently conducting regular safety inspections of the ship’s fire equipment. A task that usually rests with the 3rd officer.
“I would carry out the monthly safety inspection of fire equipment and report problems or possible deficiencies to him. Tommy eventually also allowed me to fix it, which was irrefutable proof of his confidence in me. Being assigned such a task and empowered by the captain to take on responsibility meant a lot to me,” Anja Boytang says and elaborates:
“Shown such trust makes you want to work even harder. And Tommy was capable of both – challenging me and assisting me. It was important to me that I graduated with strengthened confidence in myself and the skills that I had acquired on board.”
Tommy Tjagvad Kristiansen made the arrangements for Anja Boytang to come back to GUDRUN MAERSK as a fully-trained officer after the last nine month of school. The first trip can be quite nerve-racking to a brand-new officer, which is why coming back to a ship and a person whom she had sailed with before was comforting to Anja Boytang. Besides, his ability to involve her in socialising with other colleagues on board, with the possibility of dining out and going shopping ashore, encouraged her to make an effort and made her feel at home at sea.
“Tommy made room for my learning and improving, not least strengthening my self-confidence. Besides, I was truly pleased to have the opportunity of being further involved in the implementation of the tasks which I was previously engaged in on board.”
The teacher’s approving, trustful and challenging approach has later inspired Anja Boytang to take trainees under her wing, including Magnus Krogh Otzen. “I definitely wanted to pass down what I’ve learnt from Tommy. So, when I met Magnus, whom I quickly began to call a super-cadet, I was excited to get him the best training in the best possible way.”
Magnus Krogh Otzen and Anja Boytang sailed together on the container ship AXEL MÆRSK, and it didn’t take them long to get along as a mentor and a cadet.
“It is crucially important to a mentor to ensure a good start for new seafarers. Already in the beginning, they shouldn’t feel like dead weight or be left to themselves. To be a good mentor requires insight, time, respect, and not least planning, but that’s all worth it because you’ll be repaid three times over, as well as challenged on your way of doing the job. It makes me happy to help committed and talented people get off to a good start and root for every success they achieve,” Anja Boytang says.
Anja Boytang has been a trainee/cadet on the supply ship MÆRSK TRANSPORTER, container ships OLIVIA MÆRSK, SEAGO ISTANBUL, CORNELIA MÆRSK and finally GUDRUN MÆRSK, where her mentor was captain Tommy T. Kristiansen.
She took the sailing license as a 13-year old and since then practiced sailing race. She is now working as 1st officer at Celebrity Cruises.
Anja took on the role of a mentor for the cadet, Magnus Krogh Otzen, on the container ship AXEL MÆRSK.
