Construction Internship: Optimizing the Construction Site with a Tracking App

Just like the Louis Lachenal Argonay High School, vocational high schools and BTS programs organize between 16 and 20 weeks of construction and building trades internships over the course of three years (Onisep). The labor shortage, which particularly affects recruitment at very small businesses, coincides with a decline in new construction projects (Independant.io). That said, internship periods represent significant investments in preparing future construction professionals. Nevertheless, instructors often lack insight into students’ actual work, and students’ reports are sometimes incomplete or poorly structured. This is compounded by a lack of communication between the intern, the supervising instructor, and the company internship mentor, as the latter must also fulfill their own responsibilities.

How can we improve apprentices’ first professional experience? How can we help them master the digital skills that are becoming increasingly essential in academic programs? What if learning to use apps began as early as in the top universities? Here are three main reasons toadopt a construction site tracking app to ensure a successful construction internship.

 

1. Construction Internship: A Key Milestone in Training 

The construction internship is an essential step in the training of young apprentices or work-study students. These weeks of hands-on work allow them to experience the realities of the field and put their theoretical knowledge into practice. In addition to helping them refine their career plans, the internship also provides an early opportunity to build a professional network in the construction industry.

The construction industry construction industry in France has been experiencing a significant decline since 2024, particularly in new construction. Nevertheless, this has not slowed down vocational training programs, which saw a 5% increase in the number of apprentices in 2022–2023 (Small-Scale Construction). Very small businesses (small craft businesses with fewer than 20 employees, which account for 95% of the construction sector) are the organizations that take on the most young apprentices, with 203,570 students during that same school year (independant.io). 

Of course, for an internship to meet its educational objectives, it must be supported continuously before, during, and after it takes place. Teachers at vocational high schools are responsible for preparing students (company policies, safety rules), organizing visits, and conducting evaluations (Onisep). Their support is all the more important if student interns encounter difficulties at their workplace: 

• isolation; 
• conflicts with the internship supervisor or other team members; 
• tedious or overly demanding tasks;
• etc.

 

2. Why Use a Construction Site Tracking App to Ensure Success in Your Construction Internship?

A construction site tracking app is a tool that is increasingly being used by construction companies. According to a study published by Bluebeam in 2024, out of 400 decision-makers in 8 different countries, 77% ofof these companies use technology tools during the design or construction phases. These tools include building data modeling (BIM) and computer-aided design (CAD). According to the same study, 74% of them use artificial intelligence during one or more phases of the construction project (Batiweb).

Check out the 5 benefits of using ChatGPT in the construction industry.

In any case, students are becoming aware of these new challenges and are quickly learning to master these technological tools. But how can these features be used in the field? How can internship supervisors and faculty advisors monitor their interns’ activities on job sites?

 

Monitoring Student Activity Remotely 

A construction site tracking app, such as Techtime, includes several features to centralize user data and tasks. Some of these are essential for teachers and internship supervisors to assess apprentices’ activity and engagement in the field: 

• The construction schedule allows for real-time tracking of the progress of the tasks assigned to students. Students can view the objectives to be met for the day, their specific requirements, and resource management. The instructor ensures that the student meets the educational objectives, while the mentor quickly identifies any difficulties or delays. 
• The Electronic Document Management (EDM) is an essential tool for saving time and reducing paper usage. It involves scanning and centralizing all project-related documents (photos, student reports) so they can be shared with the rest of the team. Not only does this improve coordination among construction professionals, but it also allows internship supervisors to review student work more efficiently. The data is secure, and a version history is maintained.
• The geolocation software allows the trainee’s location to be tracked in real time at a specific worksite or while en route to another assignment. By combining this data with the worksite schedule, the internship supervisor and the training institution can verify the student’s attendance with a single click, eliminating the need for email exchanges. This feature can only be used if the intern gives consent to share their geolocation, in accordance with the GDPR (Why Soft).

 

Improve communication between the parties

The mobile app for construction site monitoring has its own instant messaging feature to centralize communication among all project stakeholders. This chat is typically reserved for construction professionals, particularly when they are joint construction projects. However, by granting students and their supervising instructors access to the app, they can communicate in real time. 

This way, apprentices can ask questions or share photos from the field when they encounter difficulties. Their internship mentors respond as quickly as possible, depending on their own schedules. By providing specific instructions tailored to the situation, not only does the student respond effectively to the unexpected, but the mentors also ensure his or her safety from a distance. These instant messaging exchanges demonstrate the trainees’ diligence and commitment, facilitating administrative management and the internship validation process. 

 

Developing apprentices' skills and independence

With a keen awareness of the latest technologies, the construction students learn to manage their work professionally on-site. The skills expected by the end of the internship regarding proficiency in the construction site monitoring application are as follows: 

• organizing a construction schedule; 
• task planning; 
• equipment and vehicle management; 
• the creation of structured reports using documents and photos stored in the document management system.

 

By receiving personalized feedback from their internship mentors, apprentices become more independent and can assess their own progress to improve. The app Techtime app is appreciated for its user-friendly design and accessibility on other connected devices.

 

3. How can the app be integrated into teaching strategies?

To take full advantage of the features of Techtime, teachers at vocational high schools and colleges must introduce the tool in class. This integration can be done by creating an account for each student and then setting goals to track throughout the year.

The construction site tracking app can be used as part of Enhanced Practical Work (TPR), where students are placed in real-world situations. This is also referred to as "construction-school". The most relevant TPRs for discovering and mastering this digital tool would be the following: 

• Organize and carry out a small-scale construction project under real or simulated conditions. This could involve, for example, renovating a community shelter that requires work by structural trades (mason, excavator) and finishing trades (carpenter, roofers, joiner…). Students plan tasks, assign roles, track progress in real time, and centralize document digitization.
• Risk Management. Scenario-based exercises to verify safety procedures or report incidents in real-world situations (scaffolding, handling hazardous materials, etc.)
• Perform specific technical operations such as hoisting a roof frame or installing electrical equipment. Students record the steps completed and generate activity reports in the app’s document management system.

You can find more ideas for school construction projects on the educational resources of the Toulouse School District or theNantes School District. Before letting students take ownership of the app, the Techtime team is available to help teachers organize ongoing training on the tool. A strong educational partnership between developers and educational institutions is the key to digital proficiency for future construction professionals.

After training throughout the year on the construction site tracking app, high school students and apprentices will have gained enough proficiency to use it during their internship. With automatic sharing of reports and photos via the document management system or instant messaging, interns will be able to meet the expected requirements. Their internship reports will be much more comprehensive and relevant by downloading and incorporating the data stored on Techtime—whether annotated or not—their internship reports will be far more comprehensive and relevant. Examiners will be able to conduct a more objective evaluation of this first professional experience.

 

4. Conclusion

Adopting a construction site tracking app such as Techtime transforms your students’ construction internship experience. It addresses the lack of visibility into their on-the-job activities, communication challenges, and time wasted on report writing. It fosters apprentices’ independence while enabling them to develop the digital skills essential for their future career success. By integrating these collaborative technologies into training, you prepare future construction professionals to adapt to the market’s evolving demands.

Techtime is a tool created by passionate developers who work closely with construction professionals. Production Made in Alsace, it is available worldwide on Android and iOS. When accessed via a web browser, it is compatible with Mac and PC. Supporting teachers in vocational construction training is just as important a priority as‘support for construction industry executives’.

Contact us now to help your students navigate the digital transformation of future assignments.