How to Start Planning for a Summer Intern

Workforce Development
Published
Contact: Greg Zick
[email protected]
AVP, Workforce Development
(202) 266-8493

Schools will be out for the summer soon, which means now is the perfect time to start laying the groundwork for an internship program. Working with interns helps companies meet their own workforce needs and helps the industry build the pipeline of new workers needed to meet the demand for new housing.

There are many considerations when planning for a trainee on your jobsite. To help you establish a program, NAHB has a step-by-step guide to setting up an internship program.

The Student Internship Resources for NAHB Members guide focuses on how builders can engage with three different talent resources: secondary (high school) students in career and technical (CTE) education programs, community college students, and university students.

The comprehensive guide covers topics such as:

  • How to evaluate your workplace needs
  • How to research the legalities
  • Tips for developing a training plan
  • How to find, hire and manage interns
  • How to retain good prospects as employees 

In addition, to help students and young professionals develop their careers in the trades, NAHB has a robust collection of one page “how-to” guides, such as interviewing and building a network available for download and print.

NAHB invites all members to share their workforce development opportunities and challenges during the next in-person Workforce Development Champions Forum on Friday, June 9, at 10:30 a.m. ET, during the Spring Leadership Meeting in Washington, D.C.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Safety

Mar 23, 2026

Roofing Safety in Home Building Starts at the Top

Roofing is an inherently dangerous job, with workers exposed to the elements at height on a pitched surface with few natural barriers. Due to this reality, it’s also the job with the most safety resources and products.

Advocacy

Mar 20, 2026

Hoosiers Score Big Housing Win

The Indiana Builders Association played a pivotal role in passing legislation to lower housing costs.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Mar 24, 2026

Almost Half of the Owner-Occupied Homes Built Before 1980

Around 47% of the U.S. housing stock was built in the 1980s and earlier. The median age of owner-occupied homes climbed to 42 years old in 2024, up from 31 in 2005 according to the latest data from the American Community Survey.

Economics

Mar 23, 2026

Comparing New and Resale Prices: 4Q25

In the fourth quarter of 2025, the median price for a new single-family home was $405,300, which was $9,600 lower than the median price of an existing home, which stood at $414,900.

Economics

Mar 23, 2026

Demolition Activity Slows Down But Remains Above Pre-Pandemic Levels

Residential demolition activity in 2025 declined 0.1% year-over-year but remained above pre-pandemic levels. According to NAHB analysis of data from Construction Monitor, permits pulled for residential demolition have been increasing since 2018, with the exception of 2020, when building-related activities broadly stalled.