Internships and Work Experience Student Internship Requirement
Students seeking a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management are required to complete a structured full-time internship within the construction industry prior to returning to campus to complete their CON 465 Professional Practice capstone course.
Internship (CON 487) – structured summer or semester required course where students are placed in the construction industry working full-time gaining exposure to construction management responsibilities. The internship course is for-credit with assignments and is intended to overlap the students’ final summer before graduation and prior to their capstone course.
Work Experience – construction industry experience for all other students earlier in the program, often with exposure to the field. This group of students does not register for a course nor have assignments, and is ideal for employers seeking students for laborer and trade experience.
Construction Management Internships
Why recruit CSU CM interns?
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.
Internship Overview
CON 487 internship is a required course for credit, with prerequisites and assignments where students submit a final project for a letter grade. Internships are full-time (typ. 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. Student’s 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 requirement: 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.
Sponsoring an Intern
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 towards a student’s Work Experience or Internship requirement. Retail sales, rental companies, and commissioned positions also are not eligible.
Intern Interviews
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 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.
Internships Helpful Links
Phelps Internship Placement Program Info
Overview of the Placement Office & Internship Requirement
Petition for Internship Reduction Packet
For CM students wanting to reduce CON487A Semester Internship to CON 487B Summer Internship
Master Internship Agreement SAMPLE
For Intern Sponsor Companies. Please contact the Phelps Placement Office for an official agreement to be issued via Adobe Sign.
Hiring International Students through OPT/CPT
Overview of OPT & CPT and beginner's guide to hiring international talent