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Employer's Responsibilities

Making the decision to host an intern takes some pre-planning to find the perfect match between the student and your organization. This page will aid you in determining learning objectives, developing a plan, and also includes interview tips and suggestions for when the intern joins your team.

Internships at an NKBA Accredited Program are part of the requirements to earn recognition and additional industry experience towards NKBA certification exams. The NKBA does not require that an intern provider submit any paperwork, although the educational institution usually requires it. The student should check with the institution prior to the internship to find out what paperwork the firm must submit.

At the very least, the institution and student will want to know what their responsibilities will be and what they can expect to learn. Under Resources, be sure to download "Plan for Intern Job Description" and "Develop A Learning Objective Schedule" to help develop your plan.

You may want to keep a record of your experience as an intern provider, what you feel needs to be changed or improved, and the intern's contact information or completed employment application, in the event that you want to hire the intern in the future. Also, be sure to have the intern complete an exit interview. In the Resources section, there are forms to help you record the internship experience.

Also located under Resources, the "Student Evaluation of Internship" and "Employer Evaluation of Student Intern" forms will help you assess the student's experience, as well as plan more effectively for the future. Remember that this may be the best way to recruit future employees, so it is imperative that the student, your employees, and you have a positive experience. Even if you are not interested in offering employment to your intern, it is important that they have a positive experience, so they give other students positive feedback about your firm.

Develop a plan for the intern

  1. Develop a set of goals that you want to achieve
    1. Do you want to use an intern for a specific project?
    2. Are you looking to increase your current staff?
    3. Share with the intern how the entire organization works
  2. Develop a job description that includes professional responsibilities for the intern
    1. Kitchen/Bath interns are close to graduation and have the knowledge for entry level jobs
    2. An intern can assist with design, drafting, presentations, order processing, marketing projects and more
    3. Prepare preliminary plans and revise plans
    4. Gather product information
    5. Prepare final project documents
  3. Develop a learning objective schedule. The best internships provide students with an overall picture of all of the tasks necessary to complete a sale/job. These learning objectives are similar for all companies. Some of these learning objectives presume new interns will only observe and assist a senior employer; others are attainable within the first few hours. The firm should monitor the intern's progress to determine when, if applicable, the intern is ready to assume the task. Refer to the "Learning Objective Schedule Sample" found under Resources.
    1. Greet the customer
      1. Students should be instructed how to properly answer calls and greet customers when they first arrive at the firm
    2. Determine the customer's needs
      1. Students should observe a senior employee and be informed of the procedures used at the firm
    3. Propose solutions to the customer's needs
      1. Site visit, if applicable
      2. Research
      3. Prepare documents for presentation
    4. Present the solution to the customer
    5. Prepare the invoice/charge the customer
    6. Order the material/sell the product
    7. Conflict resolution
      1. While this happens occasionally, be sure to inform the student of the problem, the outcome, and if possible, have the student observe the interaction with the customer
    8. Manufacturer Representatives
      1. Be sure to include your intern in product informational sessions
    9. Preparing the customer for product delivery
      1. This may be as simple as phoning the client to set up the delivery date or as complicated as providing alternative temporary space
    10. Product delivery/job installation
      1. Receive materials order
      2. Field inspection
    11. Customer satisfaction
      1. Contact the customer after the sale mail/phone/survey/hold an event
      2. Ask for the next sale
  4. Interns can work in a variety of capacities in an organization, not just design. Some examples of possible intern responsibilities and areas where an intern can assist are:
    1. Design
      1. Prepare preliminary plans and revising them
      2. Prepare final project documents (design statement, floor plan, mechanical, construction and interpretive drawings) using the NKBA Graphic and Presentation Standards
      3. Keeping resource files and project portfolios up-to-date
    2. Construction
      1. Measuring at the job site, observing the following constraints: structural, plumbing, HVAC, millwork, electrical, windows, doors, etc.
      2. Assisting the designer with supervising the project installation
      3. Help select building materials, flooring, tiles, insulation, cabinets, countertops, fixtures, etc.
    3. Business Management
      1. Preparing price schedules and budget
      2. Negotiating sales agreements using NKBA Business Management Forms
      3. Conduct market and product research
      4. Help with obtaining permits and inspection reports
    4. Project Management
      1. Help with sub-contractors from lumber and home centers
      2. Assist with job costs and profit margins
      3. Pre-construction procedures and installation-related design concerns
      4. Help with the installation process
    5. Retail
      1. Sales and customer service
      2. Preparing and propping displays
      3. Assisting with presentations
  5. Develop challenging work assignments relative to the students abilities, remembering the student is working to gain experience
  6. Provide a supervisor or mentor who will work with the intern during the intern's stay, offering on-the-job training.
    1. The intern gets the real world experience he/she needs to complete his/her education and embark on a career in the kitchen/bath industry
    2. The mentor or supervisor can oversee the intern and provide constructive feedback
    3. Provides leadership

Legal Issues

Policies regarding compensation vary from one school to another and may be related to liability laws that also vary from one locality to another:

  1. Some interns are paid; others are not
  2. Some students work for an hourly wage; others may be paid in a lump sum at the end
  3. It is important to recognize, however, that students do have expenses, including tuition (they can earn college credit for the internship experience). In addition, they may have extra living and transportation expenses and forego earnings from another job that would normally be saved to help pay expenses during the school year

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Fair Labor Standards requires that interns be paid at least minimum wage if they do not meet criteria for a "learner/trainee." The department has outlined criteria for determining trainee status:

  • Interns cannot displace regular employees
  • Interns are not guaranteed employment at the end of the internship; although employment may be offered following the internship
  • Training must be provided during the internship period
  • The training must benefit the student
  • The employer does not immediately benefit monetarily from the student's activities
  • The training must prove to be beneficial to their future career or vocation
  • Both the student and employer understand that no wages will be given during the learner/training period

The Nace General Counsel on Academic Credit also states that employers may not be required to pay minimum wage if the student is receiving course credit for their work. The following criteria must be met to comply:

  • Credit must be obtained
  • Formal documentation from the intern's educational institution stating the educational relevance of the internship must be completed
  • Learning objectives must be clearly stated
  • No more than 50% of the intern's work should be the same as other employees
  • Intern must be supervised by a staff member

Remember that the NKBA does not require students to complete the internship for credit. Some educational institutions may also have this provision. Visit http://www.internweb.com/empres.asp

What to do when hiring an intern

  • The first step is to develop an interview for the student. The interview can be completed, in person or on the phone.
  • Ask for a resume and discuss work schedule.
  • Discuss job responsibilities and compensation.

Although the NKBA will only promote your internship opportunity to students that are in an accredited program, the job posting is posted on the public site. There are some questions that you may want to ask to determine if the student has been trained according to the NKBA standards. Be sure to ask if they are studying at a program accredited by the NKBA. There is a list of college and universities that have earned this designation here.

NKBA Accredited Programs vary in length and emphasize. There are programs within construction departments that provide both design and construction/cabinet making abilities. Interior Design programs that prepare students for both commercial and residential design applications and focus on kitchen and bath design. The programs within interior design are two years in length, awarding an Associates Degree, or four years in length, awarding a Bachelor's Degree. Students studying at Interior Design programs may be required to take the kitchen and bath courses or the courses may be offered as an elective. Be sure to ask if they have completed all the kitchen and bath courses offered.

There are programs that focus only on kitchen and bath design; students study the NKBA Professional Resource Library, completing the program in one year, earning approximately 30 credits and a certificate degree.

Interview Questions

Questions to ask during the interview could include:

  • Tell me about yourself.
  • What is your educational background?
  • Are you attending an NKBA accredited school?
  • If so, did you take all the kitchen and bath courses offered?
  • Were the classes part of an Interior Design degree or a separate Kitchen and Bath degree or certificate?
  • What courses did you specifically take? This will help determine if the intern will be a fit with your organization.
  • What do you know about our organization?
  • Why do you think you would do well at this job?
  • What challenges are you looking for in this position?
  • In what ways have your college experiences prepared you for a career?
  • What are the most important rewards that you expect from your career?
  • Do you have examples of your work?
  • Do you design by hand or on the computer (20/20, Planit, CAD, other), or both?
  • What are your strengths and weaknesses?

The following questions are ILLEGAL to ask during an interview:

  • Age
  • Marital Status
  • Questions Regarding Children
  • Family Planning
  • Child Care Arrangements
  • Disabilities
  • Nationality
  • Race, Color, Religion
  • Arrest Record
  • Affiliations
  • Military Status

Orientation and Training Interns

Now that you have your intern, what do you do? Orientation and training are important next steps because you have a student that is in a new environment and will need direction as to what is expected of them. Treat the student as you would any full-time employee: make them feel welcome, explain company policies, and introduce them to the employees that they will be working with.

  1. Often overlooked is a space for the intern to work, so before the intern starts, have the following ready:
    1. A desk, phone, computer, and any tools they will need to perform their job
    2. Explain the phone system, mail system, and how to answer the phone
    3. Explain the company's organizational structure
      1. Introduce the intern to all the employees, and to the employee who will be their supervisor/mentor
    4. Explain what your company does; design, sales, construction, installation and who your customers are: consumers, builders, or designers.
    5. Outline the company's rules, policies, decorum and expectations
      1. Explain the company's harassment policy
      2. Workplace behavior
      3. Define the intern's responsibilities
    6. Have a written outline/schedule for the intern when they arrive that explains your expectations. Under Resources, refer to "Learning Objective Schedule" for sample itinerary.
    7. Explain any procedures regarding giving and receiving feedback
      1. Who will be giving the feedback (supervisor/mentor, owner, other)?
      2. Will the feedback be written, oral or both?
    8. What work needs a supervisor's signature, and which does not?
      1. Explain all forms that will be used on the job
      2. Explain the reporting procedures

Concerns of the Intern

Remember that interns also have concerns that need to be addressed. If you can alleviate some of their concerns, you can provide a good working environment for both you and the intern. Some points to remember are:

  • They want real work to do; assign projects that can utilize their abilities.
  • Be honest with the type of work the intern will be working on; don't say one thing and then give them menial tasks.
  • Offer constructive feedback about how the intern is performing; they need to know if they have made an error and how to prevent it in the future.
  • Include the intern in actual field work; if you are going to a job site, invite the intern along so they can see first hand how to work with a client. This gives the intern a better perspective on what to expect.
  • Although interns do not need to be watched over every minute, take the time to give a detailed explanation as to what is being done on the project. When the intern knows what is expected of them, fewer mistakes will be made.
  • The best way to help the intern is to have a mentor or supervisor that they can talk to and discuss any concerns they may have.
  • Don't ignore the intern. Always have time to answer any questions. If the mentor or supervisor has a busy agenda, schedule a time when the intern can come and ask questions.

The Conclusion of the Internship

Now that the internship is over, you will need to evaluate the intern. The educational institution will probably have paperwork that you will need to complete so the intern receives credit. For your records, keep a copy of the evaluation; this will give you an idea of whether you want to participate as an intern provider in the future and how you can change or update the program to work better for you.

If the student is from an NKBA Accredited Program, encourage them to complete the NKBA Graduation Verification Form. Those companies that are registered and appear as the employer on the NKBA Graduation Verification Form will receive a free gift. Schedule an exit interview with the intern; this will allow time for both of you to discuss the intern's experience. As an intern provider, you are under no obligation to hire the intern as a permanent employee; failure to hire will not affect working with the NKBA or the educational institution in the future. As the provider program evolves and changes, check this website for the most up-to-date information.

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