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
Advocacy
Jan 22, 2026
NAHB Podcast: The Davos Housing Update That Wasn’tOn the latest episode of NAHB’s podcast, Housing Developments, Chief Operating Officer Paul Lopez is joined by Chief Advocacy Officer Ken Wingert to discuss the latest housing policies, including the housing announcement (or lack thereof) at the World Economic Forum and NAHB's continued advocacy efforts for 2026.
IBS | Awards
Jan 21, 2026
NAHB Announces 2026 Best of IBS FinalistsMore than 300 product entries in nine categories were judged by 42 industry and media representatives. See which products were selected as finalists in the 2026 Best of IBS Awards.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Jan 22, 2026
House Prices Decline in Local Markets Despite National GrowthNationally, house prices continued to rise at a modest pace in the third quarter of 2025, as mentioned in our previous quarterly house prices post. However, this national trend masks significant variation across local markets. While many metro areas continued to see house price appreciation, others experienced notable declines following several years of rapid growth.
Economics
Jan 21, 2026
Private Residential Construction Spending Edges Higher in October on Home ImprovementsPrivate residential construction spending was up 1.3% in October, rebounding from a 1.4% decline in September 2025. This modest gain was primarily driven by increased spending on home improvements.
Economics
Jan 21, 2026
Single-Family Permits Cooled in the FallIn October, single-family building permits weakened, reflecting continued caution among builders amid affordability constraints and financing challenges. In contrast, multifamily permit activity remained steady and continued to perform relatively well.