Advice for Employers and Recruiters
Why September is the best time to apply for and hire construction and skilled labor interns
September marks a strategic time for construction and skilled labor internships. Industry experts highlight the unique advantages of fall recruitment, aligning with both academic and building cycles. This article explores why September is the optimal month for hiring construction and skilled labor interns, offering insights into maximizing talent acquisition and training opportunities.
- September Aligns Training with Seasonal Planning
- Union Apprenticeships Begin in September
- Fall Internships Prepare for Winter Rush
- Early Recruitment Secures Top Talent
- September Offers Four-Month Hiring Advantage
- Train Interns During Slower Months
- Thorough Recruitment Process Starts Early
- September Creates Ideal Training Window
- Academic and Building Cycles Intersect
- Onboard Interns Before Weather Slows Projects
- September Rush Reveals Valuable Team Members
- Early Recruitment Clears Safety Requirements
- Involve Interns in Project Planning Stages
- September Interns Support Peak Season Operations
- Recruit as Summer Contracts End
September Aligns Training with Seasonal Planning
September is a critical time for employers because construction and skilled trades rely on seasonal planning. Many of the larger projects are primarily completed in the summer due to more predictable weather conditions and fewer delays. Hiring interns in September provides adequate time to train them before the busy season begins. It enables employers to educate interns on safety practices, guide them through tools and site operations, and instill confidence before the actual pressure sets in. When recruitment occurs too late, there is no time for training, and those interns will be learning during the most active months, which complicates matters.
For students, September aligns with the start of campus career fairs. It is at these events that the majority of companies begin searching for potential interns. When students are prepared and able to bring their resumes, and know how to communicate directly with those who are hiring, they will be ahead of the competition. If you wait too long, you will miss out on the most active recruiting period. By the time summer arrives, many positions have already been filled. September provides both parties with the opportunity to plan adequately and maximize the months ahead. Starting early gives you structure, options, and helps avoid the last-minute rush that occurs when there is limited time to meet deadlines and work is already accumulating.
Caspar Matthews
Director & Electrician, Electcomm Group Electrical & Data
Union Apprenticeships Begin in September
We consider September as our prime recruiting season, as most union roofer apprenticeship programs usually start in September. The timing aligns perfectly with student applications and structured training schedules.
In addition, September follows our busy summer season when we’ve clearly identified next year’s labor needs. This timing allows us to recruit fresh talent while maintaining seasonal workload for hands-on training. Construction jobs usually reach their highest point in September; thus, it becomes easier to guarantee steady work for new apprentices who are going to start their careers.
Robert O’ Sullivan
Business Owner and Roofing Contractor, Ranch Roofing Inc
Fall Internships Prepare for Winter Rush
I’ve seen why September is critical for construction internships. It perfectly aligns with the crucial seasonal planning period homeowners undertake for colder weather.
For instance, we actively promote fall and winter as the perfect time for window replacements, especially with quality products like Norandex eXtreme 3000S windows. An intern starting in September gets to experience the entire process, from initial consultation to final installation, during this key season.
This timing allows us to integrate interns into our small, tight-knit team and local approach to customer service before the full winter rush. It ensures they learn our commitment to honesty and integrity, helping us maintain unparalleled service while gaining practical, hands-on experience within our community.
Jordan Smith
Owner, Smithrock Roofing
Early Recruitment Secures Top Talent
September is a key month for construction and skilled trades internships because it’s when employers and schools plan ahead. Companies are setting up projects for next year, and students are getting into the swing of fall classes. It’s the perfect time to connect these groups.
If you start early, employers get to pick the best candidates first, and students can secure internships before they’re all taken. In our industry, where there are often more jobs than workers, this September start is beneficial for everyone: companies find good help, and students get a head start on learning job skills.
Cameron Parsinejad
Owner, Bay Area Board Up Team
September Offers Four-Month Hiring Advantage
September is when we see the perfect storm for internship planning — and honestly, it’s all about timing. Think about it: students are just settling into their fall semester, but their minds are already racing ahead to next summer. We’ve learned that this is exactly when ambitious students start mapping out their summer plans, and if you’re not already on their radar by October, you’re essentially starting from behind.
Here’s what we’ve noticed: the best students (the ones who show real initiative and the planning skills that you want in construction and skilled trades) aren’t waiting until spring career fairs to think about internships. They’re researching opportunities right now, in September and early October. By the time March rolls around, those top-tier candidates are often already committed elsewhere.
We also know that this industry moves fast. Construction projects get planned months in advance, and you need to secure your internship budgets and supervisor assignments early in your fiscal planning. When you wait until spring to start recruiting, you may find your company scrambling to create meaningful experiences for interns, rather than building them into your project timelines from the ground up.
The reality is simple: September gives you a four-month head start to build relationships with students, showcase what makes your company special, and demonstrate that you’re serious about developing the next generation of skilled workers. Those extra months of connection time make all the difference in attracting students who are genuinely excited about building careers at your company.
Hanna Koval
Global Talent Acquisition Specialist | Employment Specialist, Haldren
Train Interns During Slower Months
September is critical because many contractors are lining up projects for the next year, and they want interns ready to train during the slower fall and winter months so they’re useful by spring. In our shop, that’s when we know what big commercial jobs are coming and can give a student meaningful exposure before the busy season hits. For students, applying then means they aren’t competing for spots when everyone else rushes in later. A practical step is to reach out to local contractors in September while schedules are still being set. Getting in early often leads to better hands-on learning and stronger chances of being kept on long-term.
Blake Beesley
Operations and Technology Manager, Pacific Plumbing Systems
Thorough Recruitment Process Starts Early
September is a critical month for construction and skilled labor internships because it provides employers with a longer recruitment window, allowing them to select participants more thoroughly. In trades such as electrical work, plumbing, or carpentry, there are licensing checks, safety clearances, and often multiple rounds of assessments that cannot be rushed if you want reliable candidates. Choosing to recruit in September allows employers time to breathe since they can comfortably run background checks, technical tests, and schedule interviews without feeling the pressure of filling positions urgently.
In my own business, I have seen that when recruiting is left until late in the year, it often turns into a case of hiring whoever you can get instead of hiring the right person. An early start will allow employers to select candidates who possess the right skills and attitude, and it gives students the space to prepare properly before stepping into demanding placements.
Daniel Vasilevski
Director/Owner, Pro Electrical
September Creates Ideal Training Window
September is when we see our demand shift from emergency storm repairs to planned replacements. Our data shows July-August accounts for 40-45% of yearly storm damage calls, but September still maintains 35% demand while weather becomes more predictable.
This creates the perfect training window. September interns learn complex installations like skylights and flashing work without the pressure of emergency calls or weather delays. They get hands-on experience with our most challenging roof components — valleys, crickets, dormers —- when we can actually teach properly instead of rushing through storm season chaos.
The timing also matters for career planning. Students who start in September experience our full seasonal cycle through winter inspections and spring storm prep. They see how roofing actually operates year-round, not just the summer rush most people imagine.
By the time next summer’s storm season hits, these interns understand why we need skilled people who can handle complex waterproofing under pressure. That’s worth far more than jumping in during peak season and just learning to nail shingles.
Esteban Marin
Contractor, Loudoun Roofing and Home Improvement
Academic and Building Cycles Intersect
The academic calendar and the building season are two significant cycles that intersect in September. Employers can hire students who are just starting their school year and making plans for the upcoming spring and summer months thanks to this timing. Companies can gain access to the most driven applicants before they are taken on by larger companies or other sectors by contacting them early.
Students can get a significant head start by applying in September. In order to be completed during the warmer months, many construction projects start planning and budgeting in the fall. Early applicants frequently land the most engaging and practical positions, while late applicants are often relegated to administrative or overflow duties.
The subtle point is that construction is not only influenced by school calendars but also by weather and financial constraints. Hiring in September allows internships to be more operationally efficient and meaningful for both parties by aligning with the planning of actual projects.
Mark Lumpkin
Sales Director in Renovation & Design, STR Cribs
Onboard Interns Before Weather Slows Projects
September is a turning point for the construction and skilled labor industries. With summer heat subsiding and winter still months away, this window allows employers to onboard interns before harsh weather slows down projects. For students, starting internships in September means hands-on experience during a period when work is steady and consistent. They gain exposure to real project timelines, material handling, and safety practices without the extremes of seasonal conditions.
Recruiting early also ensures employers have enough time to train interns properly before the year-end workload picks up. By preparing them now, companies set up a stronger, more capable workforce for the busy months ahead.
Shantell Moya
Business Owner, Roof Republic
September Rush Reveals Valuable Team Members
I’ve observed how September creates the perfect storm for construction recruiting. Hurricane season peaks in August-September here in Texas, and that’s when we get inundated with storm damage calls — last year alone we handled 40% more emergency repairs during this period.
Savvy employers recognize that September is when construction companies are busiest but also most in need of reliable help. We’ve hired three of our best technicians during September rushes because they proved themselves under real pressure. When someone can handle tarping roofs in 95-degree heat while homeowners are stressed about insurance claims, you know they’re valuable team members.
For students, September applications mean you’re approaching companies when they genuinely need workers on job sites, not just fulfilling quotas for HR. I personally hired a Texas A&M construction management student last September who began with basic roof inspections and ended up leading our drone inspection program by December. The hands-on learning during peak season accelerated his skills far more rapidly than any classroom could.
Andre Castro
Manager, Sienna Roofing & Solar, LLC
Early Recruitment Clears Safety Requirements
Employers must begin recruiting in September because construction and skilled labor internships require a longer preparation timeline than many people expect. Roles on a job site are tied to safety, and every candidate needs to pass through background checks, drug testing, and obtain certifications such as OSHA 10 or White Card training in Australia. Each of these steps will take weeks and, at times, extend to two months when the testing facilities are congested or when documents must be fully authenticated. Early commencement of the recruitment process means that by the time students are set to start in late November or December, all the requirements will have been cleared.
Steven Bahbah
Managing Director, Service First Plumbing
Involve Interns in Project Planning Stages
Companies lock in their major projects for the summer and early new year in September. That’s the time they want interns to start, so they can be part of planning and early build stages. These stages involve decisions about materials, crews, and timelines.
If students wait until late fall or winter to apply, they’re going to miss that planning window. Yes, they may still get placed, but they come in halfway through when the focus is on execution and deadlines are tight. At that point, there’s not a lot of time for mentoring and fewer opportunities to understand why things are done a certain way.
Gerry Wallace
Managing Director, Greenline
September Interns Support Peak Season Operations
September is when we start to see the first signs of seasonal demand in warehousing and logistics. It’s the run-up to Black Friday and Thanksgiving. That makes this the perfect moment to onboard skilled labor interns who can support our complex warehousing operations.
Over the years, we’ve seen that interns who can start in September can shadow our experienced staff during the initial, early ramp-up, so come peak season, they’re confident in their role. We as a company benefit because the interns give support and add genuine value when our workload is highest, and the students benefit because they get hands-on training and experience during our industry’s busiest cycle; it’s invaluable experience you can’t get in a classroom.
Robert Pace
President at World Trade Logistics, Inc., World Trade Logistics, Inc.
Recruit as Summer Contracts End
Workers are ending their contracts. September is when skilled workers wrap up their summer contracts and haven’t committed to their next job. Thus, it is the perfect time to recruit. It is also the last calm window before winter’s chaos.
September is the perfect time for students and skilled workers, e.g., drivers, to train and perfect their skills. Our drivers get time to master cold-weather vehicle maintenance and adapt to routes before winter.
Anton Geier
CEO, Logistics and Fleet Management Expert, BcsBusCharter
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