Woman 'fights to be taken seriously' in 11-year job

Andrea Allott said she enjoys people thinking she is an "underdog" who does not know what she is talking about.

A bus and truck driver has said even after 11 years she still "fights to be taken seriously" by some of her customers.

Andrea Allot, a driver and managing director at Ben Shaw Training in Burnley has spoken out to mark this year's International Women's Day.

This year's theme is 'for all women and girls: rights, equality, empowerment' with a number of women keen to share their stories.

The 43-year-old said: "Even now to this day people question you because you're female and you're answering their questions."

She said she does not get offended because, unfortunately, "it's just the way the world is."

"It shouldn't be that way, but at the end of the day I am in man's world."

Ms Allott said she enjoys people thinking she is an "underdog" who does not know what she is talking about.

"Then I come out and I'm the examiner and I can drive all of these [vehicles]. I like for them to see for themselves women can do this," she said.

Sophie Shah said starting her apprenticeship was the best decision she has ever made

Sophie Shah is an apprentice car technician working in Preston and she is hoping to encourage more girls to consider a career as a mechanic.

She started her apprenticeship at Hi-Q Tyres and Autocare earlier this year and said it is the best decision she has ever made.

"The men in the garage have been really supportive they've helped me out a lot" she said,

"I haven't been here that long but even in my first weeks I felt right at home, I think it's one of the best decisions I've made in my life."

Samantha Pink said a lot has changed over the years to encourage more women to join the fire service but there are still some myths that need busting.

Samantha Pink has been a firefighter for 20 years, she moved over to Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service in February as the county's highest-ever ranking female fire officer.

She said a lot has changed over the years to encourage more women to join the service.

Ms Pink has said it is a "fabulous" role but potential firefighters need to "see it to be it".

"You've got to have the role models so other people can look at you and think if she can do it, I can do it," she said

"When I started 20 years I thought you had to be a bodybuilder and an athlete.

"You do hold these preconceptions about a traditional firefighter and it's not actually like that."

Grace Pye believes more needs to be done to help girls realise they can study science, technology, engineering and maths

Grace Pye is a beauty pageant queen with a farming background. She is also studying A level mathematics and plans to continue with the subject at university.

She believes more needs to be done to help girls realise they can study a science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subject.

"From a young age I always loved maths, when I walked into my first A level maths class there were 30 students and only two of them were girls," she said.

The 18-year-old who was recently crowned Miss teen Lancashire 2025 said she got into pageants to boost her self esteem and confidence.

"I do tend to bring it up whenever I have interviews, I say yes I'm a beauty pageant queen but I'm also this I don't have to be defined as one or the other," she said.

"Girls are really taught to care more about their looks than the power of their mind and I think that's a really key fault in getting women into any of the male dominated areas."

Becky Cartmell said aviation is a male dominated industry, especially on the pilot side, but it seems to be changing.

Becky Cartmell works at the Air Traffic Control Tower at Blackpool Airport. She said the number of women working in the aviation industry has gone up over the years, but she'd like to see more female pilots.

"When I started in 2018 I felt like it was a male dominated role, but I've never felt out of place here I love all my colleagues it's brilliant, its such a good job," the 34-year-old said.

"It's still unusual to hear a female pilot on frequency but it's happening more which is really nice.

"It's an absolutely fantastic career, I'd encourage any woman even to just visit a control tower and see what we do. I'd encourage any woman to be a pilot, there is a niche out there and anyone can do it."