“Chase what you want to do – find what makes you happy.”
Meet Bruno
Bruno joined McKeon Group in 2021, bringing with him a desire to push his career to new heights.
After gaining a Civil Engineering degree and working as a Project Manager on sites in Brazil, Bruno knew that he wanted a change. While the money was good, the work wasn’t as fulfilling for him as he wanted and he knew he had to try something new.
“When I graduated college, I got a traineeship with a huge construction company. Out of 28,000 applicants, there was only 40 places and I got one. But the work was fully site-based, I was too tired and I wasn’t enjoying it. Then there was an economic crash and I lost my job for a whole year. I was really fed up. Me and my wife decided to move to Europe for a fresh start and a change of pace.”
After a brief stint in Italy, Bruno was pointed towards Ireland. Within just an hour, he had landed his first job here and while it wasn’t his dream job, it helped him to settle.
“My first job in Ireland was actually rolling burritos! Funnily enough, from the upstairs of the building I could see St Pats Water Tower which ended up being my first project with McKeon Group.”
Bruno’s last stop before beginning his work with McKeon was with a natural stone company, where he worked as an estimator. Now, he is working with us as a quantity surveyor.
Going Full Circle
“My first job with McKeon was at St Pats Water Tower. I couldn’t believe it, it was like going full circle! It was a building I had looked at for so long and admired. It was built in 1890 and our works were the first full refurbishment that was carried out, which was incredible to be a part of. We very rarely have buildings that old in Brazil, so it was an entirely new experience for me.”
The works at St Pats Water Tower included raking and repointing brick and stone work on the tower, refurbishing the drainage pipework, guttering and tower windows, and cleaning and repainting the existing ironwork including a spiral staircase, bell yoke, and weathervane.
Bruno also spoke of how well the building has stood up, with the eye-catching spiral staircase not needing much more than a fresh paint job to be restored. The weathervane required some welding work, but Bruno says it is “much more prominent now, it’s like a beam of light at the top of the tower.”
“Chase what you want to do”
While quite a lot of people in the construction industry follow the footsteps of their relatives, Bruno was the opposite. Coming from a family of lecturers, Bruno found himself drawn to the idea of construction due to the plentiful opportunities, good wages, and varied work.
He said: “For me, it was important to really enjoy what I am doing which I am with McKeon Group. During my traineeship in Brazil, we completed a lot of psychological tests that were supposed to help us find our paths. And while nobody saw me working in an office, it has become where I am happiest. You’re not bound to be something – you can be whatever you want. Ten years ago, I was all about constantly being on the go and making money but now I just want to see my kids grow up and live a quiet life.
“You need to chase what you want to do – find what makes you happy.”
About McKeon Group:
Established in 1950 by Tom McKeon, McKeon Group remains a family business to this day. ISO certified for more than two decades, McKeon Group offers expert construction, fit out, and building services. The Group delivers projects, services and maintenance across a range of sectors for State, local authority, FDI and private clients. For more information, contact https://mckeon.ie.