José Antonio Pernas tells us about his experience in Costa Rica
José Antonio Pernas swapped Ecuador for Costa Rica in 2022 to take over project management in the country. A civil engineer with a Master's degree in Transportation Engineering from Ohio University, he has more than 15 years of experience in the transportation engineering industry. His career at Ineco began in 2013 as project manager for Latin America.
How did the opportunity to work in Costa Rica arise?
In mid-2021, Felix Ortega, LATAM Deputy Director, told me about a vacancy in Costa Rica, where a Project Manager was required for a large contract in the country, where Ineco had been working since 2016 with a strong team. It really caught my attention as the professional challenge I would be getting involved in was significant. Once I had discussed the issue with my family, because the decision involved a major life change, I accepted the company's proposal.
How was the adaptation to the country?
Although the similarities between Costa Rica and Ecuador are many, arriving in a "new country" with a baby less than 6 months old is not something I would generally advise. However, with the help of my wife, we have managed to adapt without major setbacks. On the work front, there were some setbacks that made my adjustment more complicated. However, the local team in Costa Rica is top-notch and thanks to the help of my colleagues and the support of America's deputy director, Salomé Fernández, we were able to get the job done.
What projects are you working on?
Ineco currently has two important contracts with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, in which we act as Project Executing Unit. Basically it is to do a lot of support work for the Ministry and we are responsible for implementing a large budget of transport infrastructure projects, specifically roads and ports. Currently the main projects in the country are framed within our contract.
What is the opinion of our company in the country?
Within the engineering industry, Ineco has a very good reputation and there is still a lot of room to further position the brand in the country.
What should we not miss if we were to go there?
The beaches, Costa Rica really has some spectacular beaches, there is a lot of variety and it is generally a safe and small country, so you can cover the country in a few days. The country's respect for nature is evident, and it is not difficult to find a variety of exotic animals on any tour of a national park. Undoubtedly Costa Rica should be in everyone's tourist plans.
