The end of a term of service or contracted apprenticeship (equivalent to '年季明け'); note this sense is different from the common 'start of the new year' meaning of 年明け.
丁稚奉公を終えて、ついに年明けになったと喜んだ。
Having finished his apprenticeship, he was happy that his term had finally come to an end.
奉公先での年明けを目標に、一生懸命仕事を覚えた。
He worked hard to learn the job with the goal of completing his term of service.