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.
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Single-Family Home Size Continues to DeclineThe market could see a leveling off of home size trends in 2026 as mortgage interest rates approach 6% on a sustained basis.
Workforce Development
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Plan Early for Summer Internship Season with NAHB ResourcesThe most effective internship programs don’t come together at the last minute. To help, NAHB offers the Internship Program Development Guide and Appendices to the Internship Program Development Guide.
Latest Economic News
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.
Economics
Jan 20, 2026
New Single-Family Home Size Trends: Third Quarter 2025New single-family home size has been generally falling since 2015 as a response to declining affordability conditions. An exception occurred when new home size increased in 2021 as interest rates reached historic lows. However, as interest rates increased in 2022 and 2023, and housing affordability worsened, the demand for home size has trended lower.