Our colleague Liam Rogerson has recently returned from a 3-month sabbatical which saw him adventuring around Thailand, Vietnam, and Australia with his partner. Sabbaticals aren’t a common thing around Intertronics, but when Liam approached Teresa Nee, his manager, with the vague idea that he wanted to do a bit of travelling, not only did she okay the idea of him being away for a while, she actively encouraged him to go.
“Liam’s a really valued member of the team, and there was no reason why we couldn’t make this happen for him, so I pushed him to do it,” says Teresa. “I wanted him to do something that would make him happy, and give him a different kind of experience and education – as a bonus, we get to have him back in the office now that he’s returned. It was a win-win for everyone.”
“I’ve always wanted to do this,” says Liam. “I’m getting to an age where it was now or never, and was thrilled when the reaction from Intertronics was not only frictionless, but very supportive.
“A highlight of my travels was that I actually saw, and even fed, a kangaroo. I was like a little kid – my partner had to try to calm me down because I was so wound up!”
Liam found the whole trip to be creatively inspiring between the food, the cultures, and the sights. He has returned not just with an enviable tan, but with energy and enthusiasm to get back to work.
“I feel a lot more driven. By the end of the trip, I was looking forward to coming back, feeling like I was ready to settle down and work towards something. This kind of travel was a life-long dream of mine, and I’ve done it now. I’m moving into a new role at Intertronics, where I’m responsible for our Quality function, and I’m really excited. The trip really lit a fire in me, and my new role is a very proactive role where I can make a difference, which is highly motivating.”
