Retirement

Today is my dad’s last day at work. From tomorrow he is on retirement. Super exciting for him I guess. The company are giving him a farewell today and he has been working on his speech all week. The company and staff also contributed towards a new camera for him as a farewell gift, which is a really nice gesture.

He has been working at Denel Aviation, for 33 years. That is a long time. Firstly to be at a company, secondly cos its more years than I have been alive…

He has worked in different departments, he has worked with a lot of different people and he has worked on a wide range of projects so I doubt he has ever felt bored. He has even had the opportunity to fly in a few of the military planes he has worked on.

I still have all the posters my dad gave me when I was little including  the Gripen and the famous Rooivalk helicopter. I went to a number of airships at Denel too which were really awesome, back in the day; good memories.

One year, for my birthday, we got to go to Denel and at the edge of the property, we sat on the roof of the 4×4 (with about hundred other cars) and watched an Airbus A380 doing test landings and takeoffs on the runway.

I am proud of my dad. He was worked hard, he has been loyal, dedicated, honest and he has been rewarded for that. Benefits, overtime pay etc. That’s how a job should be. People nowadays do not work stay at a company for very long, let alone 33 years.

I still want to get him a retirement present, although there is lots of time for that now 🙂