In the first year Crossland submitted its internship program for consideration, it earned a place among the nation’s best.
This recognition means a lot because it acknowledges years of intentional work to strengthen our program, grow our own talent from the ground up, and develop the next generation of construction leaders.
Announced by Yello and WayUp on National Intern Day, July 30, Crossland was named one of the Top 100 Internship Programs of 2026, placing our program among the nation’s leading early-career experiences.
The annual list recognizes 100 organizations raising the bar for intern development, engagement, experience, and full-time career opportunities. Hundreds of employers across industries and company sizes submitted nominations this year, and more than 110,000 public votes were cast. An industry panel then evaluated submissions based on program design, development and support, culture, innovation, compensation, retention, and unique program elements.
Crossland joins a respected group of organizations that includes Burns & McDonnell, Gray, Humana, J.B. Hunt Transport, Kohl’s, Mastercard, General Dynamics, Northwestern Mutual, Synchrony, Wayfair, and many more. It’s an honor to see the Crossland name among them.
The most meaningful part of this recognition is the people behind it – the employees, mentors, leaders, and interns who have helped build and strengthen the program over the years.
Learning Through Real Experience
Crossland’s internship program is designed to give students a hands-on, real world experience.
Interns join project teams. They walk jobsites. They participate in meetings, solve real problems, learn from experienced builders, and see how the decisions made today shape a project.
They are given real responsibility, along with the support to grow into it.
Each intern has people invested in their success, from dedicated mentors and project leaders to former interns who remember exactly what it felt like to arrive on their first day. Structured onboarding, professional development, leadership access, hands-on assignments, and final presentations help interns understand both the work and the career possibilities ahead of them.
An intern may begin by learning how a jobsite operates. The next summer, that same student may help manage a scope of work, coordinate with trade partners, or support critical project decisions. After graduation, many return as full-time employees
That progression matters.
We also know that not every career path begins with college. Through our high school Kickstart program, students gain hands-on experience during an 8-10-week summer program designed to help them explore the construction industry and better understand where their strengths and interests may lead. Some continue into our college internship program, while others move into an apprenticeship or begin learning a trade. The goal is the same: give young people a meaningful place to start and a clear path forward.
In 2026, approximately 218 college students and 108 high school students joined Crossland teams across our footprint. Some were experiencing construction for the first time. Others returned for their second, third, or even fourth summer, ready to take on more.
Building More than a Job
For many students, one summer at Crossland becomes the start of something much bigger.
87% of Crossland interns return for more than one summer, and 93% receive a full-time offer after completing the program.
That continued experience gives interns the chance to take on more responsibility, build stronger relationships, and better understand where they fit within the industry. For some, it becomes the beginning of a decades-long career.
Perhaps the strongest measure of the program’s impact is that nearly 90% of Crossland’s leadership began their careers as interns. Across the company, former interns now serve as project managers, estimators, superintendents, department leaders, executives, and mentors to the next generation.
Built by People Who Invest in People
This recognition is a credit to the people who make the program work every day. It takes employees who are willing to teach, mentors who make time for questions, superintendents and project teams who bring interns into the work, and leaders who trust them with real responsibility.
Our interns show up ready to learn, ask good questions, bring fresh ideas, and push us to keep improving the experience. Their growth is the reason we continue investing in the program, and in the next group coming behind them.
National Intern Day was created in 2017 to recognize interns’ contributions and encourage employers to invest in meaningful early-career opportunities. The Top 100 list highlights organizations doing that work with intention, not only for one summer, but as part of a long-term strategy to develop talent.
That mission feels familiar at Crossland.
Crossland has always believed in growing our own – giving good people an opportunity, investing in their development, and helping them build careers they may not have imagined when they started.
The Work Continues.
Being selected is an incredible honor. It’s also motivation.
We will keep listening to our interns, improving the program, and creating meaningful experiences that help students discover their strengths, build confidence, and see a future for themselves in construction.
Because an internship is more than a summer job here. It is a first step to building their future.
Interested in learning more about Crossland’s internship program? Explore available opportunities and see how one summer can become the start of a meaningful career.
