When your job involves preserving decades of drawings, records and technical documents, you can develop a unique perspective on time.
Sharon Lea has spent 30 years with ECNZ and Meridian, helping manage the information behind some of New Zealand's most important generation assets. And along the way she's watched technology and the company transform.
"We've still got linen drawings, drawings actually done on linen. They're masterpieces. Some of the historical drawings are in watercolours and they're really fascinating to actually see and feel and know that you're part of that long history."
That connection to history is one of the things Sharon enjoys most about her role as a Drawing and Document Admin within the Generation team.
Her journey began in 1996 after moving to Twizel with her two young children and buying a house near her parents. Looking to get back into the workforce, she was offered what seemed like a straightforward temporary role.
"One of the guys rang me up and said, 'This is a job. I can't get anybody to take it. Do you want it?' And I went, 'Oh, what is it?' He said, 'You've just got to scan a whole lot of stuff.' I was itching to get back into the workforce, so I said I'd do it."
What started as a short-term opportunity quickly became something more. Sharon moved into documentation work, travelling to sites such as Tekapō to help update station paperwork and technical information.
"We were updating all the manuals, putting them in a format that was easy to read and making them more concise. It was heaps of fun. I was young and just happy to have a job and go with the flow. I saw it as an opportunity to try and learn more, get another skill and see where it could take me."
There was no grand plan. One role led to another, bringing new challenges, new people and new skills along the way.
Along the journey, Sharon worked as DamWatch Office Administrator under Murray Gillon, a leader whose influence she still carries with her today.
“Murray is an outstanding human and someone I admire to this day. We'd work late into the evening, and my children would be in the office with me, charged with picking up the newly edited pages we were working on. Murray led with great focus, fairness, courage, compassion and had an absolute heart of gold. He taught me so much about being true to oneself and provided coaching in life and the workplace.”
“I had sick kids one time and he simply put my laptop in a taxi and had it delivered to me at home along with diverting the phones. Those were very early days of flexible working. We proved we could make anything work.”
Sharon's willingness to keep learning has also helped her navigate the various changes that come with any long career, from restructures and new technologies to different teams and ways of working.
"You make a choice. You either roll with it and enjoy the journey, or you can stop in your tracks. For me, I'd rather embrace it and learn as much as I can. I figure you're never too old to learn."
While the work has evolved, much of Sharon's role still centres on preserving knowledge and making sure information remains available for anyone who needs it.
Over the years she has travelled to generation sites, audited thousands of drawings and records, and helped ensure vital information can be found decades after it was created. And every once in a while, she'll find reminders of the history that has come before her.
"You'd find someone who had red-penned a drawing and it was dated 1960-something. Sometimes you'd know the name, and you'd think, gosh, they're not here anymore. It's really fascinating to actually see and feel and know that you're part of that long history."
The drawings and documents may connect Sharon to Meridian's history, but when she reflects on 30 years with the company, it's the people she remembers most.
"I've got lifelong friends from the ECNZ days, which is pretty cool, who are all working in a similar industry now, but for different companies."
It's that sense of community that remains one of the things Sharon values most about Meridian. The culture, chances to try new things and a constantly evolving role all help keep the work fresh and rewarding.
"I find Meridian very family orientated, which I think makes a difference to a person because a job is something you do for a huge part of your life. Meridian's a good company to work for. There's lots of opportunities, whether it be a secondment for a short time or just a change of jobs."
“Every day is completely different. I just love it. The variety and some days are stressful in terms of time bound and the amount of work you're trying to get through because there might be something that's come left field, but I quite enjoy that."
Three decades after accepting what was supposed to be a temporary scanning job, Sharon's curiosity and enthusiasm are stronger than ever.
"I still love to get out of bed every morning and go to work."
