Throughout the year, USGBC hosts Interns with the largest cohort in the National office during the summer months. They work on a variety of projects across the organization but all are here to learn about USGBC’s work and explore green career options.

This learning pathway provides you with resources and best practices to support the USGBC Internship program.

Reach out to Ashley Fowler in HR for questions about having an Intern on your team.

USGBC Interns – our next generation of green building advocates.

A high-quality internship experience that benefits all

The USGBC Intern Experience is made up of three components – practical experience; education; mentorship. The goal of the program is to provide students with an opportunity to take their knowledge connect it to something actionable which benefits their academic studies and career interests while also furthering the USGBC mission.

What’s in it for USGBC? - Through this program we have the opportunity to equip this cohort with the knowledge and tools needed to advocate for green building practices on their campus, changes to the curriculum and ways to support their local communities.
What’s in it for the Students? -They receive a high-quality internship experience that provides them with opportunities to take what they have learned and apply it to real world projects while helping to develop 21st century professional competencies (see "Defining career readiness and student success" (Pearson) and "Career readiness defined" (NACE) in the Additional Resources section.)
What’s in it for our member companies? - We create a pipeline of talent that understands and can support green building initiatives across sectors and professional fields.
The Human Resources and Education Solutions teams are working together to support and grow the Internship program. If you have feedback on how we can improve the program please contact Ashley Fowler.

Resources for Intern Supervisors

If you are supervising an Intern, you have the responsibility – and privilege – to guide a student’s learning and growth.

Begin with the end in mind! Planning and preparation will ensure a successful internship program.

Work with the Intern when he/she begins to identify clear goals and learning objectives for the internship. This will give help you and the Intern focus on projects and give you a benchmark to measure success at the end.
Use the “Intern Learning Objectives Worksheet” in the Additional Resources. Submit to HR within two weeks of Intern’s start date.

Here are some additional best practices to consider:

Connect the Intern to your network – staff, member companies, stakeholders, etc. As relevant, invite the Intern to participate in meetings, make introductions, and set up one-on-one meetings. Help the Intern grow his/her exposure to other green building professionals and build a network.
Create meaningful project work for the Intern. While you may have some ‘busy work’ tasks that need to get done, be sure the Intern is working on tangible projects and gaining new knowledge and skills.
Design an experiential learning experience. Assign tasks that have the Intern doing hands-on work for real world projects. Let him/her experience what it is to be a professional supporting the green building industry.
Hold the Intern accountable to tangible outcomes and deliverables. Set clear expectations and set him/her up for success with the right resources and guidance.
Communicate – often and regularly. An Intern will benefit from ongoing guidance and feedback on their work.
Encourage the Intern to participate in the USGBC Intern Education Program (see “Education Programs" section on this page) and utilize Education @USGBC for continuous learning. All Interns should complete these courses their first week: Green Building for Everyone and USGBC 101 - What you need to know (including the quiz).
At the conclusion of the internship review performance and provide constructive feedback to help the Intern improve.

Resources for Intern Mentors

Where as the Supervisors have the role to manage the day to day work of an Intern, the Mentors role is to provide coaching and career advisement to interested students. Volunteer mentors are paired up with students based on interests, degrees and career pathways. It is the responsibility of the mentee to connect with the mentor. Activities could range from getting coffee to chat about your career pathway to reviewing resumes and portfolios to recommending other professionals to speak with. Every relationship will look different depending on the needs of the mentee.

Some suggested best practices to consider:

Prior to meeting with your mentee ask the Intern to share their goals and learning objectives for the summer with you. Consider how you can help support their success
Familiarize yourself with key career readiness competencies and review the Career Readiness Resources section on this page. Consider ways you can guide your mentee to explore and strengthen these skills.
Consider who else on staff could lend advice or may be working on something that would benefit the mentee. There could also be connections made between interns especially if you are mentoring more than one individual.
Encourage your mentee to utilize Education @USGBC for continuous learning and point to local NCR community events that could be valuable.
Think about your professional network and the events you attend and identify areas and connections that could be beneficial to the mentee.

Recruit the right Intern

To ensure the right fit, an internship position needs to be clearly defined so the right candidates can apply.

Identifying needs and opportunities. If an Intern could benefit from working on your team, reach out to Ashley Fowler in HR to discuss. Identify the position, timing, and if it will be a paid or unpaid position. Ashley will confirm if position is approved.

When they start will depend on their Spring and Fall school calendars. USGBC identifies several group start dates starting in mid-May through mid-June. Whether they are part time or full time may depend on USGBC's budget for how many hours will be covered. If it is an unpaid position, suggest requiring less than 40 hours a week so the Intern has time to seek other part time paid employment if needed to cover expenses. Even if a paid position, consider some time off during the week to enjoy the city and give the Intern time to study for a credential.

Creating Internship Description

The more specific you can be about the tasks and qualifications, the better it will be for candidates to communicate how they are the right fit. Provide:

Internship name
Department
Supervisor
Paid or Unpaid (and # hours per week)
Dates of internship
Overall description
Task/duties/responsibilities
Education requirements and/or preferences
Experience requirements and/or preferences
Other required skills and qualifications

See the attached "Example description_Sustainability Education Intern" under Additional Resources.

Promoting Internship

HR will list the Internship on usgbc.org’s job page and with the several large employment websites. Promote the position among your networks and stakeholders as well.

Encourage Interns to take advantage of all the Education Program offerings.

The Education Solutions and HR teams set up access to a variety of great education programs for Interns. Encourage your interns to participate. Feel free to reach out to Kay Kane if any questions about getting the most out of USGBC Education for an Intern.

Expectations are that Interns' schedules will allow them to attend the weekly Lunch+Learn live sessions and complete one course on Education @USGBC a week as part of their work.

Weekly Lunch+Learn in-person sessions. We’ve set up a schedule of engaging and interactive sessions for Interns to learn more about our work and how it applies to their studies and career goals. Interns will get emails with information.
Online courses in the USGBC course catalog. All Interns will be given access to all the Subscription courses in the catalog (600+). We’ll provide some suggestions and playlists to help them focus. Reach out to Kay if an Intern needs help finding content related to a specific topic
Project tours. Whenever possible, the Education or HR teams will arrange tours of LEED certified projects in the DC area. Encourage Interns to attend as schedule allows. It is a great way to see LEED in action.

Encourage Interns to earn a LEED Credential.

Interns are allowed to have the fees waived for one credential exam. And they receive access to available study materials. The process for requesting an exam is in the Additional Resources. Paid interns will be required to use their own time to pursue a credential.

There are staff resources and study materials in the Earn the LEED Green Associate Credential Staff Learning Pathway. Interns can check out the LEED Green Associate Study Bundle in hard copy by contacting the Education Solutions team. Study materials and resources are available for other USGBC Credentials.

Resources to create a program that prepares an Intern for the workforce

The career readiness of college graduates is an important issue in higher education and in the labor market. These include attaining competencies that broadly prepare a student for a successful transition to the workplace after graduation.

In addition to the green building and sustainability skills and knowledge you will provide, consider ways to incorporate teaching moments to reinforce these other critical skills. Teaching moments can be incorporated during meetings, providing opportunities to lead, and sharing feedback on projects.

Critical thinking/problem solving: Exercise sound reasoning to analyze issues, make decisions, and overcome problems. The individual is able to obtain, interpret, and use knowledge, facts, and data in this process, and may demonstrate originality and inventiveness.
Oral/written communications: Articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively in written and oral forms to persons inside and outside of the organization. The individual has public speaking skills; is able to express ideas to others; and can write/edit memos, letters, and complex technical reports clearly and effectively.
Teamwork/collaboration: Build collaborative relationships with colleagues and customers representing diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, religions, lifestyles, and viewpoints. The individual is able to work within a team structure, and can negotiate and manage conflict.
Digital technology: Leverage existing digital technologies ethically and efficiently to solve problems, complete tasks, and accomplish goals. The individual demonstrates effective adaptability to new and emerging technologies.
Leadership: Leverage the strengths of others to achieve common goals, and use interpersonal skills to coach and develop others. The individual is able to assess and manage his/her emotions and those of others; use empathetic skills to guide and motivate; and organize, prioritize, and delegate work.
Professionalism/work ethic: Demonstrate personal accountability and effective work habits, e.g., punctuality, working productively with others, and time workload management, and understand the impact of non-verbal communication on professional work image. The individual demonstrates integrity and ethical behavior, acts responsibly with the interests of the larger community in mind, and is able to learn from their mistakes.
Career management: Identify and articulate one’s skills, strengths, knowledge, and experiences relevant to the position desired and career goals, and identify areas necessary for professional growth. The individual is able to navigate and explore job options, understands and can take the steps necessary to pursue opportunities, and understands how to self-advocate for opportunities in the workplace.
Global/intercultural fluency: Value, respect, and learn from diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and religions. The individual demonstrates, openness, inclusiveness, sensitivity, and the ability to interact respectfully with all people and understand individuals’ differences.

Career readiness materials are in the Additional Resources section:

Career Readiness Defined (National Association of Colleges and Employers)
Defining career readiness and student success (Pearson)

Staff Learning Pathways

USGBC Interns - Engaging the next generation of green building professionals

Objectives

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