Beacon News

Jim Lynch recently joined Beacon's team as a Project Engineer Trainee. Jim comes to us from Ireland and will be working for Beacon for at least the next year under the U.S. government's J-1 Visa Exchange program. Beacon has long been an employer partner for the J-1 program, which gives young engineers (and other recent grads from outside the U.S.) the opportunity to gain experience working for a U.S. company. The J-1 program also has many other categories (beside graduate trainees), such as camp counselors, au pairs, students, seasonal workers, physicians, teachers, professors, etc.

Jim is a graduate of Munster Technical University (MTU Cork) in Cork, Ireland, where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Quantity Surveying (a comprehensive program which includes training in construction cost estimating, construction management, project finance, procurement, surveying, and other technical areas).

Jim has already been keeping very busy assisting Beacon's Construction Consulting Project Managers on a number of important assignments in the Northeast U.S. We caught up with Jim recently to learn more about him (see interview below).

Question: Where did you grow up in Ireland?

Jim: I lived on Valentia Island all of my life until I moved away for college. Valentia is an island located in County Kerry in Southwest Ireland. The island is only about 7 miles by 3 miles in size, but it's a popular stop for tourists visiting Kerry because of the island's unspoiled terrain, natural beauty, and famous scenic viewpoints. In particular, Geokaun Mountain and Fogher Cliffs have really incredible 360-degree views.

My secondary school was located on the mainland, while my primary school was on the island. On an island with only 600 people, two bars, and one shop, not many things went unnoticed!

Question: Where did you study in Ireland and what was your major?

Jim: I attended Munster Technical University Cork to study quantity surveying, sometimes known as construction cost estimating. I studied at MTU Cork for four years and the program included CAD design, construction law, building systems, project management, estimating, and other topics. Starting two years ago, after graduation, I worked in Cork prior to relocating to Boston.

Question: What interested you about coming to work in the U.S. for Beacon?

Jim: People in their mid-20s are currently departing Ireland in large numbers, flocking to Australia in particular. I felt more drawn to come to the U.S. after spending a summer in Boston in 2019 and also visiting the west coast of the U.S. over the last couple years. Through a contact, I was introduced to Beacon Consulting Group. I quickly discovered that they were the ideal fit for me based on Beacon's specialized construction consulting services and the work which I had been doing back in Ireland.

Question: How did you become interested in working in the construction industry, particularly construction consulting and construction management?

Jim: I've long been interested in the construction field. While I was growing up, I was introduced to the field at a young age because my family has a construction business. I learned that the Quantity Surveying program at MTU provided a solid foundation for both construction cost estimating, construction management, and other related areas. That's why I chose to study at MTU Cork.

Question: How do you like living in the Boston area so far? Has anything surprised you about the city?

Jim: So far, Boston has been great. There's plenty to do and see. On the weekends, I've been snowboarding and tuna fishing. I also visited New York City and Nashville, TN. The weather is cold, but much preferable to the rainy weather back in Ireland. I’ve got nothing to complain about in Boston except for maybe the traffic!

Question: When not working, do you have any hobbies?

Jim: This winter, I spent several weekends going snowboarding. As the warmer weather approaches, I hope to get involved with playing Gaelic football. There seems to be several Gaelic football clubs in New England and as many as 10 in the Boston area. In Massachusetts, Gaelic football clubs get together and play matches out in Canton, MA (15 miles southwest of Boston) throughout the spring and summer.

Welcome aboard Jim. We are glad to have you on the Beacon team!