Is there a job women can’t do? “No!, That’s a silly question,” answers Ashleigh Swartz, Director, at Trans Global Project (TGP). “You can do anything you put your mind to,” she added.

However, it is not without challenges, maybe even more so for women in a male-dominated industry. There are still situations in which women face challenges, but there is change. “I am proud to be paving the way forward for women in logistics, especially in a leadership role. I am optimistic that TGP will see more female directors as the next generation comes up,” Swartz added.

In addition to being TGP’s first female director, Swartz notes that her team is predominantly female. “Women are the engine room of our office. They’re passionate and really care about TGP and our mission. This also means that they can be quite harsh on themselves when things go wrong. But you’ve got to be realistic in this industry, things do go wrong,” she said.

But going back to the first question, Swartz said that there is no job that a woman can’t do. As someone who is a hands-on leader, Swartz says that she is no stranger to ship discharges. “I take that as a challenge and I make sure that everyone pulls in the same direction to do the job at hand,” she adds.

Swartz is responsible for leading a small but growing team in Brisbane, Australia, making sure the branch remains profitable through continuous growth. Swartz held numerous positions within the industry. From Operations Manager to Customer Service Manager to Business Development Manager.

“I suppose I’ve always led teams and I have come from a general cargo background, but always had a drive for project cargo. The businesses I was working for didn’t have that sort of setup. I wanted to challenge myself,” she said.

Now Swartz is in a position where her voice is heard. “This industry comes with its challenges, it is never smooth sailing, but my ideas are certainly heard and taken on board at TGP,” she said.

More to come

And it seems like the future is bright for women in the industry with more young ladies joining. Swartz stressed that it is rewarding to see many young women joining and also to witness their enthusiasm and knowledge.

“They understand chartering front to back, loading plans, everything, it is really refreshing to see and hear,” says Swartz, adding that they are making significant inroads into that space.

There is one thing that has to be understood, and that is the fact that everyone needs to learn to walk before they can run in the industry, male or female. It takes a lot of experience and hard work before one gets the chance to head a project.

There are companies in the business that provide training for the younger generation but there is definitely a lot of hands-on learning. It takes a lot of dedication from the company to train new employees, it means dedicating a person to it that will be taken off their regular tasks. But it is worthwhile for the end result and bringing the younger generation through.

And, as Swartz puts it, “It is a very exciting industry, and it is brilliant to come across so many women that really know their way around projects business.”