Construction Management Internships and Work Experience Information for Industry

The internship program can be viewed as an investment by the sponsor company. Participating companies provide interns with invaluable training and experience, and in return get the benefit of working with students before committing to full-time employment.

On average, 55-75% of Construction Management graduates accept full-time positions with the company that sponsored their internship.

We consider Work Experience to be any construction related experience students get that is NOT the CON487 registered course:

• Laborer/trade work is encouraged
• Most employers do not differentiate between internship & work experience
• If students plan to use the work towards their internship requirement (PIR), they must complete a MINIMUM of 400-hours (10+ full-time weeks) and should plan to work 11-12 weeks to allow for holidays, sick-leave, and other time-off. Summer break is 14-weeks.
• The Petition for Internship Reduction (PIR) is OPTIONAL. An approved PIR provides students the opportunity to complete a Summer CON487B Internship in place of the CON487A Semester default requirement

Internship is the CON487 registered course that students complete overlapping the summer before they graduate, and prior to their CON465 CM Professional Practice ‘Capstone’ Course.

• CON487 Internship is a for-credit class with assignments, a final project, and a final grade
• CON487 Internship has prerequisites of CON267 Pre-Internship, CON367 Construction Contracts and Project Administration, OSHA10-Hour for Construction
• The Default CON487A Semester course requires a minimum of 15 full-time weeks occurring during the university defined semester term
• The CON487B Summer Internship requires an approved PIR and a minimum of 10-full-time weeks during the summer term

The Phelps Placement Office uses our CMJobs Recruiting Portal for candidate interview selection. This site enables students to access each participating company’s profile and interview dates. Students indicate interest with specific companies which is then available to recruiters along with a PDF of all intern resumes for review. Companies then review and select candidates for interviews.

During the scheduled intern interview week, industry representatives interview students and, subsequently, make job offers. Compensation and possible travel expenses are negotiated between the student and their sponsor/employer. Companies are asked to notify the Placement Office of any interview no-shows, internship offers, and acceptances/declines. The student is also required to provide placement information once employment is confirmed.

Contact the Phelps Placement Office to schedule interviews.

The CON 487 internship is a required course for credit, with prerequisites and assignments for which students submit a final project for a letter grade. Internships are full-time (typically 40+ hours per week) with a sponsor company in a construction-related field. Students must be of at least junior standing in the Construction Management program and complete the internship course over their final summer term.

The CON 487A semester internship is the default requirement for students without previous construction experience.  Students complete CON 487A during a fall or spring academic term, working full-time in industry, and are encouraged not to enroll in any additional coursework during their internship term. Students with acceptable prior construction experience may apply for a reduction of the CON 487A semester course to a summer-only CON 487B summer internship, with the submission and approval of a Petition for Internship Reduction.

BEFORE HIRING AN INTERN, please be aware of the following requirements:

• Interns are required to gain valuable experience in the management of construction projects and processes.
• General labor does not meet the requirements of the CON 487 registered internship.

While the department places great value on trade experience, we encourage students to take advantage of those opportunities when satisfying their pre-internship ‘Work Experience’ and reserve the internship course for experience in management and operations. If your company would like to provide laborer or trades opportunities, please focus your recruiting efforts on our work-experience students who are encouraged to gain valuable experience in the field.

The Phelps Placement Office assists in placing students on internship via the CON 267 Pre-Internship course, the career fair, and on-campus intern interviews. Contact the Phelps Placement Office for more information or to schedule interviews.

Sponsor companies should review the Phelps Internship Placement Program description for a better understanding of the types of responsibilities registered interns should be tasked with, and must agree to the Master Internship Agreement (MIA) to gain eligibility.  This MIA document is just for reference – please contact the Phelps Placement Office for an official agreement to be issued via Adobe Sign, which is only required for companies sponsoring a student completing their registered internship requirement.

All interns should have a day-to-day mentor/supervisor.

Sponsors must be licensed general contractors, subcontractors, consultants, or organizations (i.e. city, county, or federal entity). With few exceptions, residential painting, residential roofing, deck/fence/porch building, manufacturing, testing and inspections, material handling/deliveries, landscape installation and maintenance, building/rental maintenance, service calls, etc. do not count toward a student’s Work Experience or Internship requirement. Retail sales, rental companies, and commissioned positions are also not eligible.

Sponsor Responsibilities:

• Sign the Master Internship Agreement with Colorado State University through Adobe Sign to become eligible to host interns (if one is not already in place)
• Assign an on-site and accessible supervisor/mentor who is able to provide ongoing direction and feedback to the intern to set expectations, review learning experiences and performance evaluations, navigate challenges, and celebrate achievements.

Supervisor Responsibilities:

• Provide a valuable internship experience with dedicated supervision exposing intern to a variety of activities and experiences that contribute to their Internship Goals (see examples here)
• Schedule a minimum of three meetings to complete the following assignments with your intern:
  • Internship Agreement & Goal Setting
  • Mid-point performance review
  • Comprehensive final performance review
• Notify the PPO of any challenges or concerns BEFORE they negatively impact the intern’s ability to complete their internship

• Schedule a minimum of three meetings to complete the following assignments with your supervisor:
  • Internship Agreement & Goal Setting
  • Mid-point performance review
  • Comprehensive final performance review
• Complete all internship coursework and requirements through Canvas
• Perform all tasks and responsibilities as directed by Internship Sponsor/Supervisor
• Follow all rules, regulations, and policies of the internship sponsor company
• Notify the PPO of any significant changes to the internship experience that impact internship goals
• Notify the PPO of any employment challenges or concerns BEFORE they negatively impact the ability to complete the internship
• Complete final Placement Office On-Line Evaluation for Internship Program Improvement
• Authorize the PPO to contact the sponsor company to confirm hours and dates of employment.

The Phelps Placement Office Intern Coordinator will serve as the liaison with the internship site and is always available should any questions or concerns arise. Intern supervisors will receive a welcome email with information about the internship and assignments that require supervisor involvement/input. Interns will be responsible for scheduling time with their supervisor to complete these assignments.

Students occasionally experience challenges or concerns during their internship. As soon as an issue arises, the intern should discuss concerns and seek a resolution with their supervisor. If the concern involves the supervisor or the intern is otherwise uncomfortable speaking with their supervisor, they should speak with the person who recruited them or someone from HR. If issues are not resolved, the intern and/or supervisor are asked to contact the Placement Office to help facilitate an acceptable resolution.