After 3 decades at HP, she was fired at 59 and found a new career in Antarctica: Her story | Today’s news

For three decades, May Lee has built her professional life around Hewlett-Packard (HP). She joined the tech company as an intern in 1987 and assumed she would eventually leave, the report said Business Insider.

Instead, being fired at 59 forced her to rethink what to do next. After trying to find another job in the tech sector, Lee took a path that was very far removed from her previous corporate career. In 2025, she traveled to Antarctica to work as a supply technician at McMurdo Station.

Lee shared her experience in an essay for Business Insider, describing how an unexpected career turn ultimately led her to a completely different work environment.

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The firing ended a 30-year career

Lee had no plans to leave HP. She said she made a deliberate decision to build a long-term career with one company rather than constantly moving between employers.

“As a graduate, I wanted to sign up for life with a good company that I knew I could be loyal to and I would be as loyal as a company can be. I didn’t want to climb the corporate ladder or jump from company to company. If I hadn’t downsized last February, I would never have left,” she explained.

There have been signs that the company is undergoing changes, including a hiring freeze and a temporary reduction in working hours. But the final 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 had dedicated my entire career to and hoped to retire from,” she added.

Finding a job changed her thinking

After his dismissal, Lee initially tried to continue in the same career. She applied to tech companies and reached out to people in her professional network.

But despite her experience and recommendations, she was unable to secure an offer.

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

This proposal mattered because Lee was in a different financial situation than someone who needed an immediate salary replacement. 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 traveled to Antarctica twice as a tourist and became interested in the continent. Following a friend’s suggestion, she began to see if there were opportunities to work at research stations.

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

The selection process included an application, background checks and physical inspections. Lee was eventually chosen.

This move represented a significant financial compromise. The position paid significantly less than roles in the tech sector, but her financial circumstances meant she could make the switch without worrying about a mortgage.

“The only downside was the extremely low salary. But 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 a financial foundation in place and not having to worry about paying the mortgage or bills,” explained Lee.

Forklifts, cargo and a frozen workplace

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

At McMurdo Station, her work focuses on the IT and communications warehouse. Her duties include handling inventory, operating a forklift, moving cargo, and checking deliveries according to station records.

This job was a marked departure from spending decades in the tech industry. Still, Lee finds aspects of her new workplace refreshing.

“It was refreshing because it meant no one was on the phone. Everyone is sitting together and talking while eating,” she said.

A different kind of workplace

Life at McMurdo Station isn’t just about work. Lee participates in art shows, line dancing, a marathon and bingo. She also volunteers as a DJ and hosts a weekly 80s themed music show.

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

Lee says her move to Antarctica gave her a different perspective on what a career might look like after decades spent in a corporate environment.

“You can always reinvent yourself”

Lee said her experience in Antarctica changed her outlook on life and career.

“I don’t think I could ever approach my life any differently now that I’ve been there. The community is so supportive of each other. I’ve never seen such camaraderie and inclusiveness anywhere else….My life isn’t what I thought it would be when I started my career, but I’ve learned that if something happens, I kind of rebound with it.”