15 Construction Internships for High School Students
For students curious about construction, internships offer a unique chance to explore areas like project management, engineering, design, and on-site operations in a hands-on environment. Because opportunities can vary widely in quality and accessibility, we’ve carefully narrowed down a list of the best construction internships specifically suited for high schoolers, focusing on programs that combine learning, mentorship, and meaningful experience.
If you’re open to looking for other programs, check out a blog covering free programs here, and for those interested in leadership-specific programs, check out our blog here!
Why should I do a construction internship in high school?
Construction internships at the high school level open doors to a dynamic industry that blends technical knowledge with creativity and problem-solving. You can develop practical skills such as reading blueprints, understanding safety protocols, and collaborating on real projects, all while gaining insight into potential career pathways. These experiences not only make you more confident and career-ready but also add depth and distinction to your college applications by showing commitment to a specialized interest. Additionally, early exposure to construction can help students build connections with professionals and mentors, giving them a head start in a competitive field.
Here are 15 construction internships for high school students.
Quick Look
15 programs total spanning commercial construction, highway infrastructure, ship construction, mechanical trades, urban planning, and architecture, hosted by companies and agencies including DPR Construction, Electric Boat, TxDOT, the NYC School Construction Authority, and Holder Construction
Project Pull pays the highest disclosed rate at $23 per hour, followed by DynaTen at $20 per hour and NYC SCA at $17 per hour
Several programs involve real jobsite work with safety requirements, including DynaTen (OSHA 10 required before start), Electric Boat (medical screening and drug test required), and HolderRISE (background check and substance abuse test required)
JP Cullen and Findorff are the two Youth Apprenticeship programs, running across the full academic year and summer with hours that can count toward Registered Apprenticeship requirements or college credits
Lehigh Valley Let's Build Construction Camp is the only program specifically designed for girls, covering trades including carpentry, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and roofing
1. DPR Build Up High School Internship
Location: DPR Construction project sites, various cities, US
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 30–35 interns nationwide
Dates: 8 weeks, summer
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors/seniors or May graduates; U.S. work authorization; family income below the 80% HUD Median Family Income (MFI) for your county
DPR Build Up High School Internship offers hands-on exposure to commercial construction project management on active job sites. You shadow project teams in job trailers, learning scheduling, planning, and design technologies used in multi-million-dollar builds. The curriculum covers roles across engineering, architecture, and construction trades through direct observation. A capstone assignment requires an 8-week project culminating in a group presentation. Professional interactions build networks with mentors in the field. Daily jobsite routines reveal operational workflows. Technology tools for project tracking form a core focus. Completion emphasizes practical built-environment insights.
2. Project Pull High School Internship
Location: Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco, CA
Stipend: $23/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 130 students
Dates: June 8 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 13
Eligibility: Students entering junior/senior year or college-bound freshman Fall; live in or attend high school in San Francisco; minimum 2.75 GPA
Project Pull is an eight-week, paid summer internship program sponsored by the City and County of San Francisco, primarily run through the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). It places interns within San Francisco’s Public Utilities Commission on department-specific tasks. The program centers on public service roles tied to infrastructure projects, where you handle routine operational duties under supervision. Exposure includes city government workflows in utilities, and tasks align with construction-related public works. The structure supports skill-building in professional environments where you contribute to ongoing departmental projects.
3. Summer Exploratory Experience in Design (SEED) — Sasaki Foundation
Location: Boston, MA
Stipend: $15/hour for up to 27.5 hrs/week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; ~45 students
Dates: July 6 – August 14
Application Deadline: April 22
Eligibility: High school students in Boston or the Metro North region
In this program, you take part in collaborative projects while learning foundational concepts related to construction, architecture, and planning, along with how these fields intersect on real projects. Throughout the internship, industry professionals introduce key ideas each week and guide you through practical activities connected to construction processes and project development. You work with peers on group assignments, building skills such as interpreting plans, using basic digital tools, and presenting project ideas. The program also includes activities like team charrettes, site visits, and discussions about how construction shapes everyday spaces. You have opportunities to interact with architects, planners, and construction professionals to understand how decisions are made across different stages of a project.
4. NYC School Construction Authority Internship
Location: NYC School Construction Authority, New York, NY
Stipend: $17/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size varies annually based on departmental openings
Dates: July 6 – August 14
Application Deadline: March 6
Eligibility: NYC public high school students with good academic standing who are authorized to work in the U.S.
In this program, you attend workshops focused on college planning and potential career paths, along with panel discussions featuring professionals from the construction industry. You also take part in design challenges that reflect situations commonly encountered in construction projects. As part of the internship, you complete OSHA 10-hour safety training aligned with your assigned work. The program provides opportunities to connect with other interns, staff, and industry professionals. Structured over six weeks at approximately 30 hours per week, the experience focuses on different aspects of school construction, helping you understand how projects are planned and carried out.
5. The Miller Hull Partnership’s Open Studio – Seattle Summer Internship
Location: Seattle, WA
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 1 full-time intern
Dates: July 27 – August 21
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school students who have completed their junior or senior year (11th or 12th grade)
In this internship, you step into a working architecture practice in downtown Seattle and gain an early, hands-on introduction to design and the built environment. Over four weeks, you tour active construction sites, attend project team meetings, and work alongside architects in a professional studio setting. You connect what happens on the drawing board to what rises on the jobsite, observing how buildings move from concept through construction. Throughout the month, you assemble a portfolio of your own work and deliver a brief presentation on your final day. You build practical skills in design thinking, communication, and professional collaboration while exploring architecture as a potential college and career path.
6. C.W. Matthews High School Summer Internship
Location: C.W. Matthews Contracting, Atlanta, GA
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies each year based on active construction projects and the number of participating schools
Dates: 8 – 12 weeks summer
Application Deadline: Varies by year
Eligibility: High school students aged 17 or older with a driver's license and a dependable vehicle
In this program, you can explore roles such as heavy equipment operations, surveying, traffic control, asphalt production, milling, installation, bridge work, quality control, and equipment maintenance. You choose a track based on your interests, allowing you to focus on specific parts of the construction process while understanding how different roles connect across a project. The internship includes training opportunities such as using Caterpillar simulators to practice operating equipment. A structured curriculum introduces technical skills and workplace expectations, with some pathways designed to build more advanced operator experience. The program can count toward high school work-based learning credits, and completion events recognize students who move forward into related career pathways.
7. JP Cullen – Youth Apprenticeship Program
Location: Southeast Wisconsin, with partner school districts in Rock County, Dane County, and Milwaukee County; JP Cullen operates from Janesville (headquarters), Madison, and Milwaukee
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; ~9 students
Dates: Full-time through the summer, part-time during the school year
Application Deadline: Fall
Eligibility: Students entering senior year of high school; physically able to perform the work and able to provide reliable transportation
In this program, you work alongside experienced tradespeople on active construction jobsites across Southeast Wisconsin. You learn the fundamentals of the trades, including handling tools, measuring, reading drawings, following safety protocols, and preparing jobsites, while exploring paths such as carpentry, masonry, ironwork, concrete finishing, or general labor. You complete at least 450 hours of paid work-based learning paired with two semesters of related classroom instruction, earning wages from your first day. You also participate in teamwork and leadership training that builds professionalism skills. The hours you log can count toward Registered Apprenticeship requirements and toward credits at select Wisconsin colleges.
8. Electric Boat Groton SHIP Summer High School Internship
Location: Electric Boat, Groton, CT
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; ~26 students
Dates: June 29 – August 21
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors (must complete junior year by June); 16+ years old; U.S. citizens; pass medical screening and hair follicle drug test
In this program, you work alongside experienced mentors and are exposed to areas such as welding, machining, electrical systems, carpentry, and design. You take part in hands-on tasks using industry tools and techniques, gaining experience in production settings and learning how different trades contribute to ship construction. Mentors, including union professionals, guide your work and help you understand workplace expectations and technical processes. The internship includes requirements such as medical screening and drug testing in line with standard employment practices. Overall, the program focuses on building practical skills and familiarity with ship construction trades, helping you prepare for potential roles in the industry.
9. TxDOT – High School Summer Internships (Maintenance Tech / Engineering Support)
Location: Various TxDOT locations across Texas, including its 25 district offices and Austin headquarters
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; more than 500 students
Dates: May 1 – August 15 year)
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: At least 16 years old, with some positions requiring a minimum age of 18; enrolled as a student at a high school, technical school, college, or university; eligible to work in the U.S.
In this program, you support the roadway maintenance and engineering work that keeps Texas highways and bridges in service. Based at one of TxDOT's district offices, you work either as a maintenance technician intern or an engineering support intern. As a maintenance intern, you assist crews with field maintenance, equipment handling, and roadway upkeep; as an engineering support intern, you help with plan design, field inspections, and rehabilitation projects on active construction and maintenance sites. You apply classroom learning to real infrastructure and see how construction projects move from plans to the field. Working alongside experienced engineers and maintenance staff, you gain mentorship from district professionals across the state.
10. DynaTen Corporation (Comfort Systems USA) – High School Internship Program
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Stipend: $20/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; limited cohort sizes
Dates: June 1 – August 7
Application Deadline:
Eligibility: Students who are 17 years old by June 2; reliable transportation to assigned Fort Worth-area job sites; OSHA 10 Construction Certification required before start
This internship introduces you to the construction and mechanical trades on active DynaTen job sites across the Fort Worth area. Working alongside experienced tradespeople, you rotate through sheet metal, plumbing, and pipefitting over a structured 10-week program. You assist in installing mechanical systems such as ductwork, piping, and plumbing, learn to select and safely use hand tools, and participate in daily safety meetings. You maintain a daily log of tasks and lessons learned, follow strict jobsite safety rules, and receive close mentorship and supervision throughout. You build foundational knowledge of the construction industry, safe work habits, trade skills, and insight into apprenticeship and long-term career opportunities.
11. The Heritage Group – Pillars of Potential
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; exact cohort size is not published
Dates: Summer
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students; recruited primarily from local high schools in the Indianapolis area
In this program, you join a select group of high school students for a paid summer working on genuine business challenges across THG's family of companies, which is anchored by its construction and materials industry. You gain career exposure to a fourth-generation, Indianapolis-based enterprise whose construction work spans materials such as asphalt and aggregates, alongside environmental services and specialty chemicals. You build professional skills, receive structured mentorship from THG staff and portfolio-company professionals, and explore how a large construction-and-materials business operates. You earn a paycheck while clarifying your future career path through real, hands-on work. The experience pairs genuine workplace responsibility with guided development designed for emerging local talent.
12. NYC Department of Buildings – CTE High School Internship Placements
Location: New York City; placements take place within New York City Department of Buildings offices and units across the five boroughs
Stipend: Typically paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size dependent on DOB agency capacity and school partnerships
Dates: Fall: November–December; Spring: April–June; Summer: July–August
Application Deadline: Varies; established and managed by the student's individual high school Work-Based Learning (WBL) coordinator
Eligibility: Current high school students enrolled in a New York City Career and Technical Education (CTE) school
In this program, you are placed inside the city agency responsible for enforcing the NYC Construction Codes to gain real-world exposure to how construction and the built environment are regulated. You learn from DOB's seasoned professionals across career tracks like architecture, engineering, construction inspection, sustainability, and facilities management. Your placement can connect you to units such as inspections, plan examination, engineering, and building code enforcement, where you observe how permits, plans, and construction safety are reviewed. You build practical skills in code research, technical communication, and professional workplace conduct while linking your CTE coursework to active agency work.
13. Findorff Youth Apprenticeships
Location: Findorff jobsites, Madison, WI
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; very limited number of students per year
Dates: One- or two-year program beginning in the Summer or Fall
Application Deadline: Varies by the partnering school district consortium
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are eligible or currently enrolled in an approved school-to-work Youth Apprenticeship program through their local Wisconsin school district
This program allows you to learn about construction by working on real job sites while still in high school. It is offered in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and is designed for students who want to explore career options in the trades. Through a Youth Apprenticeship at Findorff, you work on active construction sites and learn practical skills used in the building industry. The experience is meant to help you understand different roles in construction and see whether the field fits your interests. You also gain exposure to workplace expectations, safety practices, and trade-specific tasks, while building experience that can be used toward future training or career pathways.
14. HolderRISE High School Internship
Location: Holder Construction sites, Atlanta, GA area
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not specified
Dates: Summer program; typically begins in early June
Application Deadline: Varies by specific job location and cohort (typically in the Spring)
Eligibility: Students ages 16–17 (must be 16+ by program start); reliable transportation; must pass a background check and substance abuse test; must have U.S. employment authorization
The HolderRise High School internship program is a paid opportunity for students to learn about the construction industry while gaining basic skills and experience. The program is designed for students aged 16 to 17 and introduces you to the company’s work environment, construction practices, and different career paths available in the field. During the internship, you rotate through various roles to understand different aspects of field supervision and how construction projects are managed. This structure helps you become familiar with industry fundamentals through direct exposure to day-to-day operations.
15. Lehigh Valley Let’s Build Construction Camp for Girls
Location: Lackawanna College-Bethlehem Campus, Bethlehem, PA
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; approximately 20–30 campers
Dates: June 22–26
Application Deadline: April 4
Eligibility: Girls ages 12–18 (middle/high school)
The Lehigh Valley Let’s Build Construction Camp for Girls spans one week with daily sessions from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You cover basic design and drafting alongside introductory engineering concepts, where hands-on stations introduce trades such as carpentry, electrical, flooring, HVAC, masonry, painting, plumbing, roofing, and siding. Field trips visit an architecture firm, an engineering firm, a building product manufacturing facility, and technology used in architecture, engineering, and construction receives dedicated exploration. Mentorship from industry professionals highlights career paths, and sessions aim to build skills through practical activities and site visits.
Bonus: Ladder Internships!
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies depending on the program type; 100 % financial aid is available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10–25%; 70–100 students per cohort
Dates: Multiple 8–12 week cohorts throughout the year, including summer, winter, spring, and fall
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students able to commit 10–20 hours/week for 8–12 weeks
Ladder Internships is a fully remote, eight-week program that pairs you directly with leading startup founders and NGOs to tackle real-world projects. During the internship, you can explore diverse topics such as artificial intelligence, software engineering, finance, media, health tech, and environmental science. You will engage in hands-on activities like coding prototypes, analyzing market data, developing business strategies, and presenting your final deliverables to the host company. The program's most unique feature is the personalized mentorship you receive from experienced startup CEOs with backgrounds at elite tech and consulting firms. Ultimately, this experience helps you build a professional network while mastering practical skills like strategic planning, technical communication, and collaborative problem-solving. Apply now!
Questions Students Often Ask About These Programs
1. Several of these programs require OSHA training, drug testing, or background checks before you can participate. Is that normal for construction internships?
Yes, these requirements are standard practice in the construction industry, not unique to these programs. Active jobsites are regulated environments where safety compliance is required for everyone on-site, including interns. DynaTen requires OSHA 10 certification before your start date, which you can complete online ahead of time. Electric Boat and HolderRISE require drug testing and background checks in line with their standard employment practices. Treat these requirements as part of the professional preparation process rather than an obstacle, since completing them before your first day shows readiness for a real workplace environment.
2. What's the difference between a summer internship like DPR Build Up or HolderRISE and a Youth Apprenticeship like JP Cullen or Findorff?
Summer internships are typically 8 to 12 weeks and focused on introducing you to the industry through observation, projects, and mentorship. Youth Apprenticeships like JP Cullen and Findorff are longer, multi-semester commitments that run part-time during the school year alongside your classes, with hours that can count toward Registered Apprenticeship credentials and sometimes toward college credits. If you're seriously considering a career in the trades and want a structured pathway into the industry, a Youth Apprenticeship offers more depth and a clearer professional track; if you want to explore construction before committing, a summer internship is the lower-stakes starting point.
3. I'm interested in construction but also thinking about college. Are any of these programs useful for both pathways?
Several programs are designed with college-bound students in mind. DPR Build Up, NYC SCA, and SEED all include college preparation components alongside jobsite or design exposure. The Sasaki Foundation SEED program is hosted in partnership with universities and focuses on how architecture, planning, and construction intersect, which aligns well with college programs in those fields. Electric Boat specifically recruits rising seniors and includes pathways into post-secondary education alongside trade careers. Construction is also an increasingly technology-driven field, so experience here strengthens applications to engineering, architecture, and urban planning programs just as much as it opens trade career pathways.