Plan Early for Summer Internship Season with NAHB Resources
It may feel early to think about summer interns, but the most effective internship programs don’t come together at the last minute. Home builders who think ahead are better positioned to attract strong students, plan meaningful hands-on experiences and make the most of additional help on their jobsites.
To support the process, NAHB offers the Internship Program Development Guide and Appendices to the Internship Program Development Guide. Together, they act as a practical playbook to create successful internship programs that expose students to skilled trades, and office and supervisory roles.
The resources provide:
- Guidance on recruiting and engaging students in high school, technical college, and four-year colleges and universities.
- Tips on setting up interns for success. Who supervises them? What level of work can they perform?
- Recommendations for communicating expectations to interns at the start of the program, including schedules, responsibilities and jobsite rules.
- Information on the legal concerns of internships, including specific requirements and safety regulations that builders must follow.
- Sample training activities, such as learning to read construction drawings, observing building systems installation and more.
- Examples of how to rotate interns between jobsite and office assignments to introduce them to different areas of the industry.
- Suggestions on how to successfully offboard students at the end of their internship and guidance to bring interested students back for future opportunities.
In addition, NAHB has established the Workforce Development Advisory Council (WDAC) to support local and state associations as they create workforce development programs. By sharing proven resources, best practices and educational programming, the WDAC will help communities recruit and train the next generation of residential building professionals.
Are you interested in joining the WDAC? NAHB is looking for individuals with relevant experience guiding workforce development efforts in their community. The deadline to apply is March 6.
Early planning, practical tools and proactive leadership all play a role in building the industry’s future workforce. Offering internships is a great place to start.