University of Guelph: Evolving students into agri-food leaders through internships

The agriculture and food sector in Canada is booming, but the industry faces a significant challenge: a shortage of highly skilled workers. In fact, the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) estimates a workforce shortfall of 123,000 by 2029.

“Throughout the agri-food system, there’s a desperate need for people with a variety of skill sets, and this labour gap has widened significantly,” affirms Dr. John Cranfield, the interim dean of the University of Guelph’s Ontario Agricultural College. “This means that both educational institutions and industry have to work together to grow the talent pipeline.”

Thankfully, the University of Guelph, located just outside Toronto, is making strides in filling the gap. For over 150 years, its Ontario Agricultural College (OAC), has been at the forefront of agricultural sciences and practices, tackling global food challenges and fuelling the University of Guelph‘s status as “Canada’s Food University”. This explains why it ranks first in the country for agricultural sciences and second for plant and animal sciences — making it the ultimate launchpad for rewarding careers in the agri-food sector.

Enhancing career-readiness
To give students a competitive edge, OAC has introduced a new master’s-level internship course titled Internship in Agriculture, Environment, Food, and Communities. This initiative aims to connect graduate students with a diverse array of organisations across these sectors while providing hands-on support for projects and business challenges.

Designed for those in course-based master’s programmes, it will allow students to gain hands-on experience typically associated with undergraduate co-op programmes. These internships will see learners working with agri-food operations across Ontario, helping them sharpen their skills, gather experience, and network with potential employers.