How to Start Planning for a Summer Intern
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.
Latest from NAHBNow
Jun 16, 2026
Podcast: How Missing Middle Housing Can Help Close Affordability GapOn the latest episode of NAHB’s podcast, Housing Developments, CEO Jim Tobin and COO Paul Lopez are joined by NAHB member Justin Wood, a West Coast builder, to discuss how he is navigating the current market in Oregon and Washington state, and what solutions have been successful.
Jun 16, 2026
May Housing Starts Fall as Multifamily Construction Slows SharplyOverall housing starts decreased 15.4% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.18 million units, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.
Latest Economic News
Jun 16, 2026
Housing Starts Weaken in May as Multifamily Construction SlowsHousing starts fell sharply in May, driven by a steep drop in multifamily construction. Meanwhile, single-family buildings also slipped amid high interest rates, rising construction costs and ongoing labor shortages.
Jun 15, 2026
Builder Sentiment Remains Weak Amid Affordability ConcernsBuilder sentiment remains subdued as rising material costs, elevated mortgage rates and ongoing affordability challenges continue to strain the housing market.
Jun 12, 2026
Single-Family Permits Continue to Decline Through April as Multifamily Activity StrengthensThrough April 2026, residential construction activity remained uneven across housing sectors. Single-family permitting continued to soften compared with a year ago, reflecting persistent affordability challenges and elevated borrowing costs, while multifamily permitting posted solid gains supported by stronger activity in several regions.