TORONTO – Following Peter Mansbridge’s announcement that he will be retiring as host of The National in 2017, CBC has announced that they will be filling the role with an unpaid internship.

“Hosting CBC’s flagship show The National is a great way to get your foot in the door,” said CBC president Hubert Lacroix. “There’s no better way to learn this job than to start at the top, getting paid in experience.”

The Craigslist job posting states that the CBC is looking for a young, telegenic person with an interest in broadcasting, a Masters Degree in journalism, 5 years of on air experience, a large social media presence and a willingness to work for free forever.

Applicants, such as Supinder Singh, 28, say they are excited for the opportunity.

“I’m a bit torn because I’ve been offered a job at a local news station that actually pays money, but I figure if I put in my time as host of Canada’s most watched news program for a few years, I’ll be a lot closer to my goal of having my own Youtube channel.”

In between hosting The National, the chosen intern will still be expected to do standard office tasks including photocopying, fetching coffees and assuring the cast of This Hour Has 22 minutes that they are still relevant

But we won’t see the intern just yet, fans of Mansbridge still have until July 2017 to enjoy him as the long standing host of The National. On The National tonight Mansbridge will introduce a thought provoking piece on millennials being unable to pay off their student debt.