Mike Aparicio, Skanska USA Civil

The Golden Beaver Awards, presented by The Beavers � a social and honorary heavy engineering construction association based in the US � recognises individuals for outstanding contributions to the industry in categories such as management, supervision, engineering, and service & supply.

In 2025, Skanska USA Civil’s senior vice president of operations, Mike Aparicio, took home the Golden Beaver in the ‘Management� category at the 69th annual ceremony. The award came in the nick-of-time: Aparicio will officially retire this July after assisting his team with succession planning starting in 2023. He held the title of executive vice president prior to his initial retirement announcement.

For Aparicio, who grew up in construction through his family business and has been working in the industry even before he graduated university in the early 1980s, it was an ideal time to reflect on and offer projections for the state of US construction.

Below is a Construction Briefing exclusive Q&A with Aparicio. 

Can you provide a brief timeline of your career and highlight a few major projects?

A Los Angeles Metro train runs toward East LA. (Image: Adobe Stock)

Having worked in the construction industry as long as I have, there have been many highlights as well as low lights. I am a third-generation contractor, so my timeline starts at the beginning. Both of my grandfathers were contractors, and my early memories were often on jobsites.

My career in construction has been rooted on the West Coast. Some of my biggest project highlights were ones that were technically challenging and ultimately had a lasting impact on the community. Starting in 2004, I worked on the Eastside Gold Line [of the Eastside Transit Corridor rail network] in Los Angeles. It was a combination of tunnel subway and at-grade extension that required innovative methods to safely tunnel through the old Los Angeles oilfields. The construction took place in the Boyle Heights neighbourhood where my family has roots, which made the successful completion that much more meaningful.

I started working for Skanska in 2008 as vice president. My goal when coming to Skanska was to build and mature the civil business operations on the West Coast. I was able to bring my expertise in civil construction and building out organizations along with my passion for project delivery to create the strong business it is today.

Skanska recently completed the Los Angeles Metro Regional Connector subway. It was an extremely difficult project with construction in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. I am extremely proud to say that it was completed with zero Lost Time Accidents, a truly incredible achievement.

The completed Sixth Street Viaduct in Los Angeles, California, US, which Aparicio worked on with Skanska USA Civil. It was completed in 2022. (Image: Skanska)

Throughout my 16 years at Skanska, we built projects, particularly the continued expansion of the Los Angeles Metro rail system, that used new technology, engineering expertise, piloted sustainable machinery and most importantly created learning, leadership, mentorship and inclusionary opportunities to make those innovations possible.

I would have to say that my biggest highlight has been being a part in the industry transformation of the way we build projects and invest in our people. I worked in the industry at the start of the infrastructure ‘boom� on the West Coast [of the US]. I saw the growth of highway infrastructure and demand for new transportation and infrastructure options.

Retiring within your sixth decade working in construction, what’s something you wish you had known when you started?

The importance of prioritising our people.

I started my career in the late �70s when the infrastructure industry looked very different than it does today. It was far more focused on resources and machinery than on the people behind the projects.

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To prioritise our people, I have learned that we have to create a culture where mentorship and coaching are the norm. I was fortunate to have great mentors � and mentees � throughout my career who all had a tremendous impact on both my personal and professional development.

Which is why at Skanska, we have local mentorship programs that carefully pair individuals based on criteria beyond project, region and job title. The goal here is to build strong mentor-mentee relationships that maximise employees� growth.

Speaking of people, more are needed in construction. How is the industry doing in recruiting a new generation of industry professionals?

Mike Aparicio, left, on-site. (Image: Skanska)

We are starting to see more Gen Z and Alpha opting into careers in construction. Los Angeles and other urban areas across the nation are increasingly building US$1-billion-plus megaprojects that require large construction teams made up of engineers, project controls, safety personnel, craft and a lot more.

There has been more education around the demand for talent in the industry as well as career growth opportunities and benefits, [but] here are still gaps in recruiting the younger generations. There needs to be more education around how innovation and technology play a big part in the construction of these megaprojects.

‘Noise reduction� an additional benefit revealed during Skanska-Volvo testing A Volvo CE machine on a Skanska project in Los Angeles, US, showed reduced noise levels

There is a noticeable gap in the industry when it comes to the Millennial generation. I believe a big part of that is many Millennials chose a career in the tech industry during the dot-com era. But as my generation starts to retire, we need to address the gap. The importance of qualified, trained and reliable talent is becoming more prevalent as the demand for large, complex infrastructure projects grows. We need to invest in developing and promoting current Millennial talent while expanding recruitment.

The demand will continue to put strain on the workforce, and Skanska is putting an emphasis on making sure we have the right people to promote the safety and quality execution of our projects. Skanska is [also] using new tools and methods to make projects safer, more efficient and more sustainable. Many in the Gen Z and Alpha generations want to make a positive impact on the world around us. It is our job as industry leaders to show them that careers in construction are how they can do it.

Are there any outside industries from which construction would be wise to recruit from? Is this even a viable option?

Mike Aparicio, far right, receives a commendation for Skanska USA Civil from Los Angeles County officials for work done on a major rail expansion project. (Image courtesy Skanska LinkedIn)

Take me for example: I am not a trained engineer. I was an English Major who didn’t finish college!

We’ve talked about how the demand for transportation and infrastructure projects is growing, which means our demand for quality talent is growing too. We are shifting towards new ways of recruiting that reach what we used to call ‘non-traditional talent� because we have seen countless examples of individuals bringing their skills from other industries to better our business.

Whenever I address individuals or groups about career opportunities at Skanska, I emphasise, “If you are able to make a short-term course correction, the long-term joys of construction are very fulfilling.�

The industry as a whole has become more flexible in its requirements for talent, and construction firms are now amenable to hiring individuals with diverse backgrounds given there’s great demand for workers. At Skanska, we recruit people from all walks of life.

Back to the built environment, what are some predictions for the future of the industry?

Los Angeles, California, US, skyline (Image: Adobe Stock)

On the West Coast, there are a mix of markets within the transportation and broader construction industries. We have urban, suburban and rural markets all in close proximity.

While each market has its own trajectory, one thing that is consistent is the investment in transportation and infrastructure growth. This is largely due to growing economies along the coast and funding sources like the Self-Help Transportation Funding and SB 1 in California (known as the gas tax).

In the urban market, and to some degree the suburban market, Skanska is seeing a massive demand for transit solutions and transportation infrastructure. We have been working on improvements at LAX International Airport as well as a steady stream of projects to expand the Los Angeles Metro system, but the need continues to grow. We are going to see more and more investment in urban areas, especially in Los Angeles, to build transportation infrastructure in the coming years. We are also seeing programs for water filtration projects on a larger scale than we have ever seen in the city [including] a coming emphasis on water recycle infrastructure. This is going be very large programme and is even more important now with the fire rebuild.

Mike Aparicio receives the Golden Beaver Award for Management. (Image: The Beavers)

In suburban and rural areas, we are seeing less ‘new mile� highway work but still plenty of highway rehabilitation and improvement work. Skanska is currently reconfiguring three major intersections in the suburban markets in San Bernardino and Riverside counties as well as highway reconstruction projects in the high desert and mountains. These projects are necessary for the growing population in these markets, and with the steady funding stream from SB 1, I anticipate that they will continue. [Also] in smaller communities, there is going to be an ongoing need for transportation as well as a growing need for water storage.