The construction industry is facing a significant workforce challenge, specifically due to a shortage of available talent entering the workforce each year. As seasoned professionals retire, companies are under pressure to attract and retain the next generation of leaders, to ensure they can keep up with the rising demand for infrastructure improvements and commercial developments. One of the most direct and sustainable ways to meet this challenge is by investing in a robust internship program each year.
Internships as a Pipeline for Talent
Internship programs have the ability to provide construction and construction materials companies with direct access to emerging talent. Interns gain a clear view of their future careers within the organization and industry, through real-world experience and hands on learning, while employers gain insight into the intern’s skill set, work ethic, and fit within the company culture. Across the country, there are engineering, construction management, and skilled trades programs which can provide a talent pool for internship programs and future hires. Within our industry specifically, there are degrees offered in partnership with the Concrete Industry Management (CIM) program to produce job-ready students who are ideal candidates for internships and long-term roles.
Tapping into Industry-Specific Education: The CIM Advantage
The Concrete Industry Management (CIM) Program is one of the only higher education options specifically designed for our sector. Offered at select universities across the U.S., it combines concrete-specific coursework with training in business, quality control, and materials science. This combination of academic learning and industry engagement makes graduates uniquely prepared for roles in project management, sales, operations, and technical services. By offering internships to CIM students, companies can engage with young professionals who already understand key principles of mix design, batching, testing, plus other concrete-specific technology and disciplines. These students come equipped with a business mindset and concrete-specific knowledge, significantly reducing the learning curve. Learn more about the CIM Program.
Early Exposure Builds Loyalty and Clarity
Initially, most young students are unfamiliar with the variety of careers available in construction and concrete-related fields. Internships provide a clear view of day-to-day operations, the scale of projects, and the industry’s career potential. Early exposure also helps students identify their own personal strengths, whether it is in operations management, quality control, logistics, or sales, enabling them to enter the workforce with confidence and a clearer purpose. For employers, this early engagement often fosters loyalty and smoother onboarding after graduation.
It’s important to know that competition for this talent can be quite steep. For CIM students, specifically, they typically graduate with a 100% offer rate for full-time roles following completion of the program. Companies who build relationships with these students through internships often have the first (and only) opportunity to bring these graduates onto their teams.
A Fresh Perspective on Innovation and Technology
Today’s students are digital natives, and that’s great news for innovation. Having grown up with technology, students and recent graduates from industry-related disciplines will often bring with them cutting-edge innovations, comfort with evolving software, and exposure to new materials and testing methods. Whether it’s through implementing operations management systems, utilizing digital dispatching, or adopting sustainability metrics, interns can be powerful agents of change. This can be especially critical for companies who are eager to modernize and meet ever increasing sustainability standards.
Reputable, industry-related programs, such as CIM, will emphasize a combination of technical knowledge and business acumen, producing graduates who are comfortable both in a corporate environment, presenting technical material and results, as well as in the production environment supporting quality and logistics.
Strengthening Industry Partnerships and Visibility
Internship programs tied to initiatives like CIM also strengthen a company’s visibility within the academic and professional community. By mentoring CIM students or sponsoring the program’s activities, such as the annual auction or networking at various trade association events, companies raise their profile among top-tier students while demonstrating a commitment to workforce development. Even further, engagement with these programs, both through the students and the professors, provides an opportunity to meet other strategic trade partners who have similar values around developing the next wave of talent and technology to strengthen the industry.
Getting involved with these programs isn’t just good for recruiting; it also builds your brand within the industry. Sponsoring events, mentoring students, and staying visible in academic circles helps position your company as a forward-thinking leader committed to talent development.
Conclusion: Investing in Internships Secures Future Success
The future of construction depends on the people we bring in today. Internship programs, especially those aligned with industry-specific training like CIM, aren’t just about filling entry-level roles. They’re about shaping the next wave of leaders, innovators, and industry advocates.
If you’re serious about building a strong workforce to secure the future of your organization, start by investing in internships.
T.J. Crosby is CEO of Concrete Careers and President of EBS Consulting. As a seasoned talent leader, he has experience establishing and scaling recruiting, HR, and overall company operations, and is passionate about fostering a strong team culture and attracting the best talent. For the past 15 years, T.J. has held various HR leadership roles across startup, private-equity backed turnaround, and Fortune 500 organizations. Recently, T.J. was Chief Human Resources at Sylvan Road and prior to that, Head of Talent Experience at FirstKey Homes, where he implemented critical talent initiatives which enabled the organization to effectively scale from under 250 employees to over 1,000. T.J. holds a BS in Business Management from Jacksonville State University and an MBA from Auburn University. When not at work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Valerie, and his two young children.