Canadian agri-food industries in Canada are experiencing critical shortages of highly trained people to fill work force positions. Universities are typically the place where students are provided theoretical and practical knowledge to equip them for these careers. However, with an increasing number of urban and international students in our programs, many students do not have a background in these areas so they do not have the confidence or life skills to be hired into these positions. It is an endless loop situation as students cannot get experience because they do not have experience. In 2016, the University of Alberta Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences and the University of Alberta Career Centre launched a 3-day “mini-internship” program in animal science. The program, scheduled during our Fall and Winter Reading Week breaks, has expanded to include students in food science, crop science, and environmental sciences (including forestry). Potential host sites are identified, including farms, agricultural companies, veterinary clinics, food processing companies, conservation biology, land reclamation or forestry organizations and the provincial government. Students apply to the program online indicating their background and preferred areas of work interest. Students are interviewed and placements are made. Students spend 3 days working at these sites in groups of 2-12. Most student mileage and all hotel accommodations are paid by an endowment fund created by individual, agricultural boards and/or corporate donors. Due to COVID-19 restrictions (Winter 2021 – Winter 2022) 32 industry visitors showcased their sites online over 3 days each term while interacting with students. Student registrations have increased rapidly post-COVID and as of Fall 2024, 1,182 student placements have been made. This high level of participation in the absence of any assigned academic credit, provides evidence that students will proactively seek work integrated learning programs to augment their CVs.