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Woman laid off from HP after 30 years moves to Antarctica: ‘I'd forklift cargo'
Fired after 30 years at a tech giant, a 59-year-old techie turned rejection into adventure by landing a job in Antarctica.
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A woman who worked at Hewlett-Packard (HP) found herself sad and disappointed when she was laid off after spending 30 years in the company. Initially, she started an intense job search but that didn’t yield any results. Then, she decided to take a bold step and shift to Antarctica for a job.
59-year-old May Lee shared her journey from HP to losing her job to finding a new career in an as-told-to essay. In her conversation with Business Insider, she shared how she joined the company as an intern back in 1987.
“As a graduate, I wanted to sign on for life with a good company that I knew I could be loyal to and would be as loyal as a company could be,” Lee shared, adding, “I didn't want to climb the corporate ladder or jump from company to company. If I hadn't been downsized last February, I would never have left.”
Lee explained that though the layoff came suddenly, she now recognises that there were signs. “There were signs that the writing was on the wall, such as a hiring freeze and a temporary reduction in my work hours, but in the end, it came as a surprise.” She stated that she had originally planned to work at HP for five more years or so.
What happened next?
Lee recalled she was in an “intense job-hunting mode”. However, despite having a strong network and getting referrals, she was not able to land a job. That is when she decided to take up an advice from one of her former colleagues and start a new journey.
“Then one of my really good friends from HP gave me some great advice. She said, ‘May, you've already paid off your house. You don't need the high-tech salary. You have so many things that you're interested in. You should look into maybe working in some of those areas’."
Why Antarctica?
“I had been to Antarctica twice before on vacation and loved it. I didn't know whether you could work there, so I looked into it and, to my amazement, found that you can,” Lee shared.
Explaining her decision and her work life, she continued, “Getting a job in Antarctica is competitive. After a lengthy application process that included an extensive background check and a physical qualification, I got a job as a supply technician at Amentum.” Despite the pay being considerably low compared to her HP salary, the job gave her satisfaction.
What did she work on?
“I'd forklift cargo into the warehouse and check we had the right quantity of every order against the database. There was a lot of physical outdoor work, such as lifting boxes, in my role. This was new to me as someone who had always worked a desk job,” Lee recalled.
She explained, “This was refreshing because it meant nobody was on their phones. Everybody sits and talks with each other at meal times.” Though the job was seasonal and ended after a certain period, she is now gearing up for a new role in Antarctica.
