It's hoped the first intake of females in Papua New Guinea's Defence Academy will forge the way for more women there to seek a career in the Defence force.
New Zealand Army Captain Anika Tiplady has just returned from PNG where she helped mentor participants on the training course, including four women, after the defence force recently opened it up for them for the first time.
It's also the first officer training the country has run for ten years - during that time they were sent to countries like New Zealand and Australia.
Captain Tiplady says it's being seen as a great career opportunity for women there.
"I had numerous women come up to me saying 'how do I get into the Papua New Guinea Defence Force?' or mothers telling their daughters 'right you need to go to school now because you can see those girls, or see her, you can be that person' so if those individuals have the right motivation and the right skill sets I think it will be a great career path."
New Zealand Army Captain Anika Tiplady.
