With insights from Taylor Mingle, UF C3 Career Coach & UF Forage Expert
As you head into winter break, it’s a great time to invest in your future career without giving up your downtime. Employers increasingly want to see demonstrated skills and competencies — not just coursework — on your resume. If you’re aiming to boost your professional profile before the Spring Showcase, virtual job simulations through Forage are a smart, flexible option.
Taylor Mingle, UF Career Connections Center Career Coach and C3’s Forage expert, encourages students to use winter break to complete Forage simulations that build real workplace skills and earn certificates you can list on your resume and LinkedIn.
Why Forage Is a Smart Winter Break Career Move
- Employer-Designed Simulations You Can Fit Into Your Schedule
Forage offers free, self-paced job simulations created with top global employers. Most take 2–5 hours total, so by spending just 15 minutes a day over winter break you can complete a full simulation. - Hands-On Experience With Real Companies
Simulations give you a “day in the life” of professional work, helping you build skills and explore careers. Students can choose from hundreds of experiences created by companies like:
STEM & Tech-Focused Partners
- GE Aerospace – Explore engineering and supply chain roles
- Accenture – Data analytics, technology consulting
- Walmart Global Tech – Advanced software engineering
- BCG X – Data science & analytics
- JPMorgan Chase & Co – Software Engineering
- AIG – Cybersecurity simulations
- Electronic Arts – Product management & tech experiences
Other Leading Employers Across Fields
- KPMG, EY, Deloitte – professional services
- Citi, Goldman Sachs – finance & banking
- Red Bull, lululemon – business & marketing-focused simulations
Whether your interests lean toward software engineering, cybersecurity, data science, consulting, or operations, you’ll find simulations that help you build skills employers care about.
Explore Career Paths & Build Confidence
Forage lets you explore different roles risk-free—no application, no pressure, and no cost. You can try multiple simulations to better understand where your interests align before committing to a major or job search path.
Each completed simulation also gives you a certificate and real tasks you can reference on your resume, telling employers you’ve already tackled work-like projects in your field of interest.
Ready to boost your resume this winter break?
Sign up for Forage, choose a simulation that matches your career goals, and start with just 15 minutes a day. Little steps now can make a big difference when recruiters review your resume in the spring.
