The Washtenaw Contractors Association 2008 Summer Student Intern and Scholarship Program provides students with valuable practical experience in the construction industry. Contractors receive the benefit of easy access to talented and qualified students that can assist their operations during the summer months at a moderate cost. The program also gives contractors the opportunity to view the students' performance and determine if they would meet their firm's qualifications for permanent employment. The Washtenaw Contractors Association assists both the contractors and the students by handling much of the paperwork and communication required between both parties and the educational institutions. In addition, the WCA provides a scholarship to the students that successfully complete the program. Participating contractors also contribute to the scholarship fund if they employ a student eligible for a scholarship.

The program is available to students who are pursuing a degree in construction management or a related field such as architecture or structural engineering.

Job descriptions for each available position are determined by the participating contractors. Job responsibilities may include management/technical/support service duties in the office, the field or a combination of the two. It is not the intent of the program to use the students as manual laborers, however, manual labor may be part of an individual job description. Since specific job responsibilities vary with each participating contractor, students are encouraged to thoroughly discuss the responsibliites with the contractor if contacted for an interview.

Students in the program must be employed for a minimum of twelve (12) weeks. (Please note that students receiving credit from their educational institution may be required to work for a longer period of time.)

Most students will receive an hourly wage rate of between $11.00 and $15.00 per hour, with the specific amount to be dependent upon the responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the applicant, and the geographic location of the work. Wage rates will be determined by the contractor.

Scholarships in the amount of $1,500.00 each will be awarded to the students that successfully complete this program. The scholarships will be forwarded directly to the students' educational institution for use in paying for tuition or other educational expenses. The Washtenaw Contractors Association will fund half of the total of all scholarships. The other half will be provided by the contractors employing the eligible students. Such contractors shall contribute $750.00 per employee to the WCA's scholarship fund, with these amounts due 30 days prior to the conclusion of the program. A contribution will be refunded in the event a student does not complete the program. (The Washtenaw Contractors Association reserves the right to limit the number of scholarships provided. In the event of such a limitation, any affected contractors and students will be notified prior to the start of the program.)

Student interns may choose to seek school credit for their work experience gained through this program. Students are responsible for all tuition costs.

If a student intern is receiving credit from his/her educational institution for his/her work experience, the student is not eligible for unemployment compensation at the completion of the program. If the student is not receiving credit, unemployment insurance laws apply.

Like all other employees at the contractor's work site, student interns are covered under the provisions of worker's compensation laws.

Contractors will designate one member of their staff to serve as an advisor for each student intern they employ through this program. The advisor will be the contact person for all aspects of the program, be available to assist the student throughout the program and complete a performance evaluation of the student at the end of the program. Evaluation forms will be provided by the WCA or the student's educational institution.

The application and hiring process shall proceed according to the outline provided below. Send email to info@wcaonline.org to receive an application in February - put Internship in the subject line.