Student Internship Resources
Are you or someone you know looking for an internship?
Student Internships: Resources for NAHB Members
The U.S. housing industry suffers from a chronic shortage of directly-employed labor and subcontractors. While the shortage varies somewhat by trade, by region, and from year to year, over the long-term, demand outstrips the supply in most skilled trades. In addition, there is an ongoing need for home building firms to find the next generation of talent to manage and grow their companies in the future. This guide will focus on how home builders can engage with three talent resources to meet these needs: secondary (high school) students in career and technical (CTE) education programs; community college students; and university students.
This guide will assist the home builder in understanding the ways in which secondary schools, colleges and universities may offer work-study student-learning opportunities and deciding which type of student resource best fits the company’s needs. The guide will focus specifically on one type of work-study student learning experience: the paid internship. This type of employer/employee relationship is sometimes described as a long interview, allowing both parties a chance to evaluate the suitability of the relationship in view of potential post- graduation employment.
Connecting with student resources requires “getting inside” the educational institution, and understanding where to start can be daunting. This guide will assist the home builder in identifying ways to establish contacts at local high schools or colleges; engage with students through career fairs and other approved venues; write a suitable job posting, interview, and hire candidates; and supervise, evaluate and communicate with the intern and the educational institution as part of the educational requirements of the internship.
Hiring high school youth (under age 18) means navigating what may be unfamiliar territory involving federal and state labor laws dealing with youth employment; federal and state education policies for CTE programs; and state or individual school policies for student employment. This guide helps the home builder understand the roles and responsibilities of the employer, educational institution, student and parent/guardian and legal/insurance issues involved in hiring high school and college students.
Links throughout the guide point the reader to databases of high schools, community colleges and universities that offer construction-related programs and other resources to assist in the successful launch of a student internship program.
