Royal Navy doubles its training capacity for women to push for 25 per cent representation in three years

Currently one in six sailors passing out of the navy’s basic training base is a woman – with efforts under way for the navy to have one quarter female capacity by 2025.

Of 513 civilians undergoing transformation from civilians to naval personnel in November 88 were female.

The training base, known as Torpoint, has increased its capacity to train female sailors with dedicated accommodation for 120 women – a figure which can be doubled if needed.

It comes as the navy plans to grow by 3,000 sailors over the next three years with it aiming to better reflect society.

Last month the former First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said the military had failed to value servicewomen and pledged that change would come. He spoke after a report by the House of Commons defence select committee found the navy had ‘not done enough for women in our service’.

The navy has reported a spike in civilians arriving at the base every week with around a dozen regularly turning up to begin their training.

Among them was Able Seaman Robyn Stokell, 20, from Wiltshire. She said: ‘My Raleigh experience was excellent. I’ve had such an amazing time. I was definitely nervous before coming into the Navy, but the nerves were not worth it.

‘Everyone was very supportive. The camaraderie between us is excellent. Everyone’s chipped in, everyone’s been doing jobs. I would 150 per cent encourage anyone to join the Navy and come to HMS Raleigh.’

Megan Page, from Suffolk, also 20, is aiming to specialise in hydrography and meteorology.

‘I’ve absolutely loved my time at Raleigh and I would encourage all women to join, because there are different aspects that you can go into,’ she said.

‘There’s something to do for everyone and you are all part of a team. At the end of the day you are there to help each other.

‘It’s been great having so many women in the class. I came in thinking there may just be four or five, but there were 13 of us passing-out. We all have our strengths and weaknesses and we’ve just pulled each other along.’

Women have been going to sea in the Royal Navy for more than 30 years but opportunities for today’s recruits are much broader now. The autumn intake of female recruits at Raleigh ranges from apprentice engineers to naval nurses and undergraduate submariners.

‘There is no barrier to opportunities for women within the Royal Navy. Women can serve at sea, beneath the waves and in the air,’ said Captain Suzi Nielsen, HMS Raleigh’s Commanding Officer.

‘At HMS Raleigh we are configured to take in more female recruits and we are ready to welcome them.

‘All female personnel are treated exactly the same as their male counterparts and are required to reach the same standards.’

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After passing out all trainees move on to their specialist training.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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