From the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic: Why women are entering the world’s toughest professions

South Africa and the Arctic may seem worlds apart. But the qualities that define success in both places – resilience, steady nerves under pressure, and the ability to lead in unpredictable conditions – are strikingly similar. From the mining shafts of Limpopo to the shipping lanes around the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa has always been a country that demands competence over convention. 

Across some of the world’s most demanding industries – from mining and shipping to engineering and advanced technologies – the conversation about who belongs is gradually changing. Not because the standards are becoming easier, but because more women are entering professions that were historically seen as inaccessible to them – and proving themselves in real working environments. In countries such as South Africa, discussions around female representation in technical and leadership roles are increasingly tied to broader questions of opportunity, skills development and the future workforce. At the same time, stories of women succeeding in extreme professional environments are becoming more visible globally – not simply as examples of representation, but as examples of competence, resilience and leadership under pressure. One such example is Marina Starovoitova, the world’s first female captain of a nuclear-powered icebreaker.

Her career is defined not by the fact of that distinction, but by what it took to earn it. She deals with constant uncertainty and ever-changing conditions. Weather can change quickly, her crews may spend months isolated from the mainland, and even routine operations can become high-pressure situations requiring fast decisions and complex coordination.

For Starovoitova, respect is built through actions rather than job titles.

“If you are a professional and can do your job well, you will earn respect. When I worked alongside sailors on the open deck in temperatures below 30℃, I proved I’m equal to my shipmates through hard work,” she said.

Her experience also challenges assumptions about what leadership looks like in extreme environments. Industries associated with demanding conditions are often portrayed as rigidly hierarchical – but Starovoitova argues that effective leadership depends on flexibility and reading the situation accurately.

“I believe a captain needs a full range of approaches. When fast decisions are needed, you have to be direct. But in everyday conditions, I prefer collaboration – because every crew member’s experience matters. The goal is always the same: the safety of the crew and the ship.”

For younger generations, stories like these make highly specialised professions feel visible and within reach. Careers in engineering, navigation or advanced technologies are sometimes seen as out-of-reach opportunities, particularly for students who don’t see many people around them taking up these complex careers.

This is one of the reasons why international educational initiatives such as Icebreaker of Knowledge attract growing attention every year.  Launched with the support of Rosatom, the programme gives students from different countries the opportunity to participate in a scientific expedition aboard a nuclear icebreaker and learn more about careers connected to technology, research and navigation.

For South African school student Isabella Eileen Nell, who took part in last year’s expedition, the experience became more than an adventure.

“I used to think a career in science or technology was just a dream. After this expedition, I know it can be more than that – it can be something you actually build,” she underlined.

Experiences like that matter. They help bridge the gap between abstract conversations about future careers and real-world examples of people working in these environments. They also demonstrate that leadership and expertise in technical industries are no longer limited by a traditional outlook on gender and background. That’s something Isabella believes in as well.

“I do not think I have ever felt that a career in technology is not for me, not my area of expertise, but I have definitely seen other girls feel that way. This expedition taught me that I was right to not doubt myself, and I should encourage others to see things my way too,” she added.

South African schoolchildren can follow in Isabella’s footsteps this year and travel to the Arctic to experience the fascinating world of nuclear technology and natural sciences. On 5 May, the international selection process began for participants in the ‘Icebreaker of Knowledge’ scientific and educational expedition, in which 23 countries are taking part, including South Africa, Namibia, Rwanda and others. The winners will take part in an Arctic expedition aboard the nuclear-powered icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy, which will take place in August. Some of the expedition participants will be the first representatives of their respective countries to reach the North Pole and experience the Arctic’s natural environment, just as our heroines of today once did.

South Africa needs people who can perform under pressure, lead in times of uncertainty and make decisions when the margin for error is small. Those qualities have no gender. And more importantly, they have no ceiling. From engineering and energy to maritime professions and global scientific projects, role models make these career paths more accessible – not by lowering the bar, but by showing that the bar is within reach.

* Rosatom is Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation. 

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL.