ALES Mini-Internship Program

The ALES Mini-Internship Program (AMIP) offers a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to get first-hand learning experience on careers in agriculture, life and environmental sciences. It’s a great opportunity to gain hands-on, and place-based, experience in fields associated with their degrees.

Participants have a chance to test a career option of interest before making a commitment, while creating connections and building relationships with a wide range of industry professionals.

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If you have any questions please email amip@ualberta.ca.

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Students working with textile conservation

ALES Angels

ALES undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral students also have the opportunity to participate in the ALES Angels program. This is a community partnership program which supports a not-for-profit organization by pooling a larger group of students to volunteer on an outstanding task over three days. ALES Angels gain experience and grow skills including communication, observation, organization, teamwork and leadership, while also giving back to the community.

Eligibility

The program is open to current students registered in any ALES undergraduate program*. The ALES Angels additionally accepts applicants registered in an ALES graduate program.

Students wishing to receive a placement in the fields of Animal Science/Animal Health must be currently enrolled in, or have previously completed, AnSci 101.

*Environmental Studies students registered through the Faculty of Arts are eligible.

Program Overview

Schedule

The program is available to students during the university’s annual Fall (mid-November) and Winter (mid-February) reading weeks, for a three-day visit and volunteer work.

Intake Interviews

Successful applicants will be invited for a 30-minute in-person group intake interview, scheduled around your availability, as indicated in your application form. Your interview time will be communicated to you after the application window closes.

Program Acceptance

Following the intake interview, you will be notified via email confirming the details of your placement.

Waivers

Waivers will be emailed after successful applicants have been notified, with a deadline specified.

Program Fee

A one-time fee of $50 is due for those candidates successfully matched with a host.

Orientation

You must attend one one-hour orientation training session (even if you have participated in the program previously) to help you prepare. Orientation dates will be listed on the registration/application form when this information is released in September and you will select your preferred orientation session when you apply.

Coverall / Steeled-toed Boots Pick-up

You may need to pick up coveralls and/or steeled-toed boots before the start of the program. Pick-up time and location will be provided in the program acceptance notification. 

Program Wrap-up

Participants from both rounds of the year’s program will be expected to attend an in-person event in the spring to celebrate their achievements, reflect on their experiences and next steps, and to connect with the program’s donors and hosts.

Previous Mini-Internships

Curious about what kind of mini-internships you may experience?

Student in labwear using a silicone paddle to sift through cubes of brown gummy food
Students can learn from alumni! The Gummy Nutrition Lab was founded by an ALES alumnus.
Students walking around a herd of yaks with long walking sticks and rain boots
Enjoy working with animals? Students have a unique learning experience at the West Gimlet Yak Farm.
students in surgical gear doing surgery on a small animal under a sheet
AMIP participants shadow staff dedicated to animal health at the Stony Plain Veterinary Clinic.

Previous host organizations

These are organizations that have worked with our program in recent years, to give you a sense of the breadth of options. Please note that placement sites will vary and we cannot guarantee specific placements.

  • Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI)
  • Alberta Helping Animals Society Home Veterinary Services
  • Alberta Parks
  • Anne Lambert Clothing and Textiles Collection
  • Capital Fine Meats
  • Cargill Animal Nutrition
  • Corteva Agriscience
  • Edmonton Area Land Trust
  • Edmonton Valley Zoo
  • Fenvet Clinic Airdrie/Beltline
  • Five Corners Meat
  • Geiger Farms
  • Innovata Foods
  • Lakeland College
  • Medicine River Wildlife Centre
  • NAIT
  • Newly Weds Foods
  • Northern Forestry Center
  • Rig Hand Distillery
  • Sister's Snack Solutions (Westside Bakery)
  • Sofina
  • Triple Lyoness Farms
  • WILDNorth
  • University of Alberta dairy, poultry and swine units

Be an AMIP Host

Join our growing community of industry and community partners and share your workplaces, experiences and passions with ALES students. We work with hosts across all of our faculty’s undergraduate student programs who are interested in working with our students, connecting with our faculty and mentoring the future workforce.

Learn more about hosting ALES students

Audience

Students

Category

Career & Professional Development

Provider
Provost