Keeping busy and enjoying retirement

Bill Uru retired this year after working at NZAS for 42 years.

My time at NZAS was great. Being there for 42 years, I was involved with many different projects including taking care of the graduate program where I mentored many top engineering graduates who travelled down from Auckland University and Canterbury University. Aside from the graduate program my role as an engineer allowed me to have a fulfilling career at NZAS. I have had many highlights in my time; a particular project that stands out was a project in the Middle East from 1989 to 1994. I was fortunate enough to go there for work, which opened my eyes to travelling. I loved managing people and helping them learn the ropes at NZAS.

Being a member of the NZAS Retirement Fund for 42 years I think it is important to start saving for your retirement as soon as you can. Prior to retiring, I kept an eye on the markets with the help of my son who works in the financial industry. I felt it was important I understood that my retirement funds were being invested wisely. I started saving for my retirement as soon as I stared working, knowing early on how important it would be for my future.

After 42 years at NZAS I was quiet excited to be starting the next chapter of my life – retirement. Adjusting to retired life was a bit difficult at first as I was used to my usual routine of going into work and seeing my colleagues on a daily basis. I have adapted quick though and am embracing the freedom to do what I want at my own pace.

I am a creative person and love to express myself on canvas using water-based oil paint and sketching. I used to sketch in my role at NZAS so it is nice to be sketching for leisure. My artwork focuses on underwater themes but I am learning by painting landscapes (as no one teaches painting underwater scenes yet). On a typical day, you will find me out and about looking after my sheep, painting, playing guitar, re-learning Te Reo and maintaining my 5-acre land where I live with Robbie my wife. Our son and his dog Ziggy are also currently living with us as he got caught down here in the level four lockdown (he is from Auckland). I keep myself busy by doing things that I enjoy and did not get time to do while I was working. And then there is Robbie’s list!!!

I have chosen to retain my retirement balance in the NZAS Retirement Fund until I am ready to withdraw it. Once the borders open, I am hoping to travel to expand my underwater scene material as an underwater photographer and would love to do the train trip from Beijing to St. Petersburg. I am really looking forward to the future and life as a retiree but miss the people I have worked with at NZAS.