As construction firms continue searching for skilled talent, Michels has significantly expanded its internship program, welcoming 335 interns for the summer of 2026, the largest intern class in company history.
The program reflects growing industry efforts to build a sustainable workforce pipeline at a time when contractors across North America face ongoing labor shortages and increasing demand for specialized skills.
Interns gathered in Brownsville, Wisconsin, for the company's annual kickoff event before beginning assignments at jobsites and offices throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe.
The internship program is designed to provide students with practical experience in construction, engineering, operations, and related fields. Participants work alongside experienced professionals while gaining exposure to day-to-day project execution, business operations, and industry technologies.
Company leaders used the orientation program to introduce interns to Michels' operational approach, workplace culture, and safety expectations. Safety remained a central focus of the onboarding process, reinforcing standards that apply across all levels of the organization.
The program is available to students as early as the summer after their freshman year of college, allowing participants to begin developing industry experience well before graduation.
Internship programs have become an increasingly important recruitment tool for contractors seeking to attract younger workers into the construction sector. Many firms are expanding partnerships with colleges, technical schools, and workforce development organizations to strengthen future talent pipelines.
For employers, internships provide an opportunity to evaluate potential hires while helping students build practical skills that are difficult to acquire in a classroom setting alone.
Michels reported that a significant share of its graduating senior interns received and accepted full-time employment offers following the 2025 internship season, highlighting the program's role as a recruitment channel for permanent positions.
While many participants are joining Michels for the first time, a number of interns are returning for their second, third, or even fourth summer with the company. Repeat participation allows students to take on increasing responsibilities and gain deeper exposure to construction operations.
The company views the program as part of a broader strategy to identify emerging talent early and develop future industry professionals through hands-on learning and mentorship.
For construction owners and project stakeholders, workforce development initiatives such as large-scale internship programs can help address one of the industry's most persistent challenges: labor availability. Expanding training opportunities today may help contractors build stronger talent pipelines, improve project delivery capacity, and reduce future workforce constraints.
As infrastructure, energy, utility, and transportation investments continue to drive construction demand, companies that invest in recruiting and developing new talent are positioning themselves to support long-term project growth and execution.
Source: Michels.
