Richard Stephenson admits he had second thoughts about migrating to New Zealand. Relying solely on internet research and word of mouth, he didn’t even visit New Zealand before moving over. However, he knew it was time to leave London when he calculated he was spending three hours commuting to and from work each day. “I’d be away at work from 6am to 7.30pm every day.”
Deciding it was time for a change, Richard attended a New Zealand expo in London last October, which quickly led to a job offer. He escaped the London winter in January 2005, applying for a two-year working visa with his partner - “it was the quickest way to get over here.”
Originally from Wales, Richard - a biology graduate with a Masters in Computer Science - has spent the last five years working in various IT roles in London. Prior to moving to New Zealand, he worked at Hutchinson 3G UK, developing customer registration systems used by call centres and phone stores around the country.
He uses similar skills in his current role at Westpac, developing systems used within bank branches. “The main challenge is getting to grips with the way that the systems are built.”
He’s also looking forward to the challenge of mentoring other developers.
Richard enjoys the relaxed work environment, and says advancement and further training are encouraged by the bank. “The other people at work are very helpful in helping me out with current systems, and I’m drawing on their experience. I’m hoping to contribute more of my experience a bit later on.”
A keen mountain biker and snowboarder, Richard admits he’s enjoying a new quality of life. “Wellington allows me to do these things; the landscape suits my outdoor interests.”
And at last he’s able to enjoy a morning sleep-in.