Inside the internship: Spending a summer at Skanska
In honor of National Intern Day on July 28, we’re taking the opportunity to thank and celebrate our interns from across the country. We sat down with six Skanska interns to learn about their experiences working in the construction industry.
Lexy Wu
Role: Civil Engineering Intern, Skanska USA Civil
University: University of California, Irvine
Office: Riverside, California
Project: LAWA RUE (Los Angeles World Airports Railways, Utilities and Enabling), a five-year, $335 million design-build contract that will establish roadway construction and utilities infrastructure around Los Angeles International Airport
How has Skanska played a role in developing you and your skill sets throughout this internship?
“This internship has helped me realize what I want in a future career, and that’s building and designing eco-friendly infrastructure. I’ve also learned a lot about safety, how to navigate a workplace, the massive amount of organization involved with big projects, and how to balance numerous tasks on a construction site.”
Tonio Reed
Role: Intern, Skanska USA Building
University: Vanderbilt University
Office: Nashville, Tennessee
Project: Vanderbilt University Kirkland Hall Renovation, a $42 million historic renovation of Kirkland Hall which houses the office of the chancellor, as well as the provost and other vice chancellors
What's been your favorite part of your internship?
“I’ve gained extensive experience with Procore, a project management software, which will be very useful once I enter the industry full-time. I’ve also furthered my fluency in Spanish through interactions in the field.”
Abigail Pawliczak
Role: Mechanical Engineering Intern, Skanska USA Civil
University: Binghamton University
Office: Astoria, New York
Project: Estimating department, gaining experience in the bidding process, contrasting to the field work side of construction
What's something you learned during your internship that you'll take with you?
“This is my third internship with Skanska, and I’ve learned that the success of a project is largely related to the people on your team. You could have the best estimate, strongest subcontractors and quickest turnaround time, and still fail to complete a project if your team doesn’t work well together. Skanska is a well-oiled machine due to the people they employ. The managers are strong leaders who help with the simplest questions and smallest tasks. Skanska has a great culture devoted to advancing construction and teaching future generations about the industry.”
Logan Theriot
Role: Development Intern, Skanska USA Commercial Development
University: Rice University
Office: Houston, Texas
Project: 1550 on the Green, a $125 million, 28-floor office tower in downtown Houston
What advice would you give to future interns participating in this program?
“If you have a passion for real estate, come to Skanska! All my colleagues have been extremely willing to help with various tasks. Keep your head down and learn as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. The most beneficial thing I learned was the detailed process of underwriting new opportunities. There are so many intricacies of how to evaluate land for development.”
Jarvis Brooks
Role: Project Engineer Intern, Skanska USA Building
University: University of South Florida
Office: Tampa, Florida
Project: Imagine Clearwater, a $70 million, multi-phased redevelopment of a 26-acre park in downtown Clearwater, Florida
Tell us about your path to Skanska.
“It’s been a very interesting one. I’m an international student from Jamaica, studying mechanical engineering at the University of South Florida. I’ve always had a passion and interest in sustainability which is what drew me to Skanska. The company’s passion for sustainable construction and development is something I find critical to a safe and prosperous future.”
Anisha Thanki
Role: Development Intern, Skanska USA Commercial Building
University: Vanderbilt University
Office: Boston, Massachusetts
Project: A detailed study of a new submarket in the Greater Boston area that encompasses an overview of the entitlement process and an analysis of current development trends
What's something you learned during your internship that you'll take with you?
“I learned about underwriting development deals in my previous jobs and in classes, but I never fully understood the approval process or the meaning behind cost items. At Skanska, I’ve listened to consultants, architects, lawyers and others who helped me understand the assumptions that are made before the financial analysis. Additionally, I’ve learned about managing different parties’ goals in a project and gained exposure to the life science/lab asset type. This will be extremely useful in my future career!”
Holt Mountcastle
Role: Development Intern, Skanska USA Commercial Building
University: Georgetown University
Office:Washington, DC
Project: 3901 Fairfax Drive, a 190,000 square-foot, nine-story office building in Arlington, Virginia
What's something you learned during your internship that you'll take with you?
“Reading about common team structures and responsibilities in a textbook is one thing, but seeing it in action has been particularly useful. Witnessing the cross-collaboration between Skanska USA Building, architects, and other subcontractors has been a valuable learning experience.”