Ballymena Academy's former chemistry teacher enjoying Titanic retirement

Realising her passion lay in working with people and that she enjoyed nothing more than knowing she had made someone’s day, Johanna decided to become a tour guide.

This decision led to her seeking out both qualifications and volunteering opportunities to gain hands on experience in the industry.

“Given my background I knew qualifications and experience would be important, so I enrolled on the tour guiding course at Belfast Met’s Castlereagh campus,” explains Johanna.

“I also took up volunteering opportunities at St Anne’s Cathedral and HMS Caroline, as well as working as an events assistant at Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council to build out my experience.”

In March 2022 Johanna applied to join the Visitor Experience Crew at Titanic Belfast. The award-winning visitor experience tells the story of Titanic’s conception through to its first and final journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

Working on average 25 hours a week at Titanic Belfast, Johanna primarily brings the Titanic story to life through her interactions with guests in the Titanic Experience or acts as a guide on the outdoor Discovery walking tour.

On occasion she also plays the role of an RMS Titanic passenger for those enjoying afternoon tea at the attraction.

With an active social life outside of work that sees her play the Surdo in the BeatnDrum samba band, sing in her Church choir and learn Italian at a course in Stranmillis University College, Johanna is full of praise for the flexibility Titanic Belfast offers her.

“Titanic Belfast have been very good with me. I do a lot of things outside of work and if I am involved in anything in particular, they are very flexible and really great about making sure I have the opportunity to do it,” she said.

“I am surrounded by a great crew. We are all very supportive of each other and no two days are ever the same in this job.

“You get to meet people from all over the world and really help make their trip that little bit better. Making someone’s day is a fantastic feeling and ultimately it is just a very enjoyable job that is great fun to do.”

Urging anyone interested in a career in tourism and hospitality to “seize the opportunity to do it” Johanna admits she knew little about the industry, or even RMS Titanic, before she embarked on this journey.

“I would encourage anyone who thinks they may want to switch careers and get involved in the tourism and hospitality industry to do so. I can’t recommend the tourism course at Belfast Met highly enough,” she says.

“It really doesn’t take long to get up to speed on all the necessary details and you can really make your tours your own. Working here has been exactly what I was after at this stage in my life.”

While Johanna and her colleagues are enjoying the flexibility and freedom a career in Northern Ireland’s bourgeoning tourism and hospitality industry allows, Tourism NI are actively seeking more people to join the industry.

The tourism body is continuing its campaign called ‘Make It Here’ encouraging more people to embrace a career in the tourism and hospitality industry.

If you are considering switching careers and want to learn more about working in the hospitality and tourism industry visit www.makeyourcareer.co.uk for further information. To find out more about Titanic Belfast visit www.discovernorthernireland.com.