Nola Smitheram, calling time on her life as part of the Ashburton College network, first as a student and then for most of her working life as a member of staff. Photo Sue NewmanIn 1967 as a 13-year-old Nola Smitheram started her secondary school life at Ashburton College; 52 years later she walked out the school gates for the final time.

Over those years she’s been both student and member of staff, working across a range of roles.

She’s married, raised two children, tutored hundreds of children highland dancing and been a top performing triathlete.

But the time has come, Nola said, when she wants more freedom, more flexibility, when she wants to finally cut ties with the workforce.

On leaving school Nola worked for stock firm Dalgety’s, before winning a job in the college office in 1971.

Two years later she and late husband Murray moved to Gisborne, Nola returned to the college in 1986.

Thirty-three years later she’s left, along the way racking up 35 years and five months on the school’s pay roll.

With her oldest child at intermediate school, Nola was happy to accept a job that offered part-time employment, but that quickly morphed into a full time job.

Over the coming years her workload changed, technology arrived and her job description kept changing – office clerk, registrar, office manager.

Twenty-five years down the track she changed direction, moving back to part-time hours and focusing on the management of the NCEA co-ordinator aspect of her job.

Added to this was the task of the special assessment conditions and reader writer co-ordinator roles.

She retired in July but a replacement couldn’t be found.

“I said I wouldn’t see them stuck and went back and filled in as exam centre manager, but this time that’s it.”

Looking back, Nola said the college office was a vastly different place to the high-tech place it is today.

And it’s not only technology that’s changed, so too have attitudes to working mums, she said.

“When I was offered the job when I returned to Ashburton I was asked what I would do if my children were sick? Imagine asking that today.”

While she’s cut her working hours over the past few years, Nola said she was now ready to completely cut ties with the working world.

Over her time at the college she’s worked with five principals, each with their own style.

During those years, regardless of who was at the helm, regardless of how her job had changed, Nola said the school had been a great place to work, feeling like a second home.

She’s retiring with a bucket list that won’t see her life change dramatically – she’ll continue travelling overseas, continuing cycling for fitness but she says she’ll enjoy the luxury of a life that isn’t fitted in around work.

By Sue Newman © The Ashburton Guardian - 7 December 2019