In a competitive talent market, AEC firms are always looking for an edge in recruiting. For most, the strategy centers on competitive pay, strong culture, and portfolio-worthy projects. But one Midwestern firm discovered that a different kind of benefit—housing for interns—unlocked an entirely new tier of talent and dramatically expanded its recruiting reach.
Design Collaborative, a multidisciplinary firm with offices in Fort Wayne, Indiana and Charlotte, North Carolina, has offered intern housing for three years. The results have been clear, measurable, and replicable.
The Talent Pipeline Problem That Housing Solved
For years, Design Collaborative's intern and new-graduate hiring was geographically constrained. Despite working with clients across the country, most of its early-career candidates came from schools within driving distance of Fort Wayne. As the firm experienced rapid growth in 2022, the demand for interns and new graduates increased—and so did the need for diverse perspectives, skill sets, and school relationships.
"Each college and university administers their programs differently, and we welcomed the opportunity to bring in students with diverse perspectives and talents," says Rebecca Welch, the firm's Director of Human Resources. But recruiting outside driving distance immediately surfaced a hard reality: candidates had no place to live.
"We found the driving distance to be a barrier we struggled to solve," Welch explains. "Not having this option ended conversations quickly when we attended career fairs and hiring events in the past at schools that were outside of a reasonable driving distance."
How Design Collaborative Implemented Intern Housing
After evaluating several approaches—many of which were eliminated due to cost, safety, or logistical impracticality—the firm landed on a pragmatic solution: Airbnb homes. Fully furnished and available for the 3-to-6-month windows that align with academic semesters, they solved the flexibility problem that traditional apartments couldn't.
Welch oversees the entire process: finding and securing housing options, establishing adjusted pay scales for interns who utilize the benefit, and coordinating logistics throughout each semester. It's a meaningful operational commitment—but one with a payoff that became evident almost immediately.
The Return on Investment: More Schools, Better Candidates
"That first summer we implemented it, we had interns coming to us from 8 different colleges and universities," Welch recalls. In each subsequent year, the firm has successfully recruited from its target schools and expanded its candidate pool significantly.
But the ROI isn't just quantitative. The housing benefit sends a signal to prospective interns: this firm invests in you. "Now, not only does it keep more candidates as viable options, but the message this investment sends to potential candidates is a positive one that weighs in their decision-making."
Using Internships to Encourage Permanent Relocation
There's another strategic dimension to Design Collaborative's housing initiative: it's a tool for convincing talented people to put down roots in Fort Wayne.
Fort Wayne is a mid-size city with real quality-of-life advantages—lower cost of living, strong amenities, less traffic—but it lacks the name recognition of major metros. Getting an intern to relocate for 12 weeks is a form of experiential marketing that no job post or recruiter call can replicate.
"Getting first-hand experience in the firm and in a city shows candidates what their future career and their future home may look and feel like, and it makes a big difference," says Welch.
Is Intern Housing Right for Your AEC Firm?
If your firm is trying to recruit beyond a limited geographic radius, competing for talent at national programs, or struggling to attract candidates to a smaller metro area, intern housing deserves a serious look. The operational complexity is manageable, the costs are scalable, and the return in candidate quality, pipeline breadth, and employer brand can be significant.
For AEC firms serious about building a talent pipeline that isn't constrained by zip code, it's one of the most innovative recruiting strategies in use today.
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