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

Advocacy
Oct 21, 2026
NAHB Invests $47K in State and Local Advocacy Efforts

During the Fall Leadership Meeting in Detroit, the State and Local Government Affairs Committee approved $47,000 through the State and Local Issues Fund to help HBAs reduce barriers to housing attainability.

Workforce Development
Oct 20, 2026
Maryland HBA and Local Partners Show Students Where Construction Can Lead

For Maryland students and young adults deciding their next steps, the Frederick County Building Industry Association’s goal is to help them see how many different paths to success are available in residential construction.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics
Oct 21, 2026
Nearly One in Three Construction Workers are Hispanic

Diversifying the construction labor force remains a key priority amid persistent skilled labor shortages. According to NAHB analysis of the 2024 American Community Survey, non-Hispanic White workers account for the majority of the construction industry at 55.8%. Hispanic workers now represent nearly one-third of the labor force at 32.8%, followed by non-Hispanic Black workers at 5% and non-Hispanic Asian workers at 1.8 %.

Economics
Oct 21, 2026
Market Share for Modular and Other Non-Site Built Housing in 2025

The total market share of non-site-built single-family homes (modular and panelized) was just 3% of single-family homes in 2025, according to NAHB analysis of completion data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC).

Economics
Oct 20, 2026
Single-Family Starts Down as Affordability Challenges Persist

Single-family housing starts declined in September as builders faced higher financing, building material costs, and ongoing labor shortages.