Laid off at 59 after 3 decades at HP, she found a new career in Antarctica: Her story

For three decades, May Lee had built her professional life around Hewlett-Packard (HP). She joined the technology company as an intern in 1987 and had expected to eventually retire from it, according to a report by Business Insider.

Instead, a layoff at 59 forced her to rethink what came next. After struggling to find another job in the technology sector, Lee took a path far removed from her previous corporate career. In 2025, she travelled to Antarctica to work as a supply technician at McMurdo Station.

Lee shared her experience in an as-told-to essay for Business Insider, describing how an unexpected career break eventually led her to a completely different working environment.

A layoff ended a 30-year career

Lee had not planned to leave HP. She said she had deliberately chosen to build a long-term career at one company rather than continually move between employers.

“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. 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,” she explained.

There had been some indications that the company was going through changes, including a hiring freeze and a temporary reduction in working hours. But the eventual layoff was still difficult for Lee after spending most of her working life at HP.

“I felt a combination of disappointment and sadness. This was the company I’ve devoted my entire career to and had hoped to retire from,” she added.

The job hunt changed her thinking

Following the layoff, Lee initially tried to continue along the same career path. She applied to technology companies and reached out to people in her professional network.

But despite her experience and referrals, she could not secure an offer.

About a month into her job search, a friend suggested she look beyond finding another high-paying technology role and instead consider work she actually enjoyed.

That suggestion mattered because Lee was in a different financial position from someone who needed to immediately replace a salary. She had already paid off her house and had savings.

That gave her room to consider an unconventional option: Antarctica.

From tourist to worker in Antarctica

Lee had already travelled to Antarctica twice as a tourist and had developed an interest in the continent. After her friend’s suggestion, she began looking into whether there were opportunities to work at research stations.

She eventually came across Amentum, a contractor that provides services to the United States Antarctic programme, and applied for a supply technician position.

The selection process included an application, background checks and physical examinations. Lee was ultimately selected.

The move represented a significant financial trade-off. The position paid considerably less than her technology-sector roles had, but her financial circumstances meant she could make the change without worrying about a mortgage.

“The only downside was the extremely low pay. However, my dad raised me to understand the importance of saving and not spending money you don’t have. So, I had the luxury of having financial groundwork in place and did not have to worry about paying a mortgage or affording bills,” Lee explained.

Forklifts, cargo and a frozen workplace

Lee travelled to Antarctica in 2025, stopping in Auckland and Christchurch before boarding a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft for the flight to the continent.

At McMurdo Station, her work was centred on an IT and communications warehouse. Her responsibilities included handling supplies, operating a forklift, moving cargo and checking deliveries against station records.

The job was a stark departure from spending decades in the technology industry. Yet Lee found aspects of her new workplace refreshing.

“This was refreshing because it meant nobody was on their phones. Everybody sits and talks with each other at meal times,” she said.

A different kind of workplace

Life at McMurdo Station was not limited to work. Lee participated in art shows, line dancing, marathons and bingo. She also volunteered as a DJ and hosted a weekly 1980s-themed music show.

The social environment became an important part of her experience. Within a week of arriving, Lee realised she wanted to stay.

Her move to Antarctica also gave her a different perspective on what a career can look like after spending decades in a corporate environment.

‘You can always reinvent yourself’

Lee said her experience in Antarctica had changed how she viewed her life and career.

“I don’t think I could ever approach my life in any other way, now that I’ve been there. The community is so supportive of each other. I’ve never seen that kind of camaraderie and inclusivity anywhere else….My life is not what I thought it would be when I first started my career, but I’ve learned that when something happens, I just kind of roll with it. You can always reinvent yourself.”