Induction Meeting

• Overview of the program and its benefits
• Emphasis on on-farm testing and signing off of skills
• Explanation of all roles and responsibilities
• Clarification of Off-campus Education Policy for student trainees and WCB coverage for adult trainees
• Viewing of Green Certificate video
• Distribution and completion of the registration form
• Explanation of curriculum, training manual layout, procedures and training process
• Information on how to prepare and what to expect from certification testing

Expectations

Trainee | Trainer | Employer | Parents | School Representative | Regional Coordinator

Trainee

• Attend an induction
• Develop a training plan with your trainer to outline how you will complete the program within the set time frame
• Train on all the skills in the book, even if you “don’t have that” or “do that” on your farm
• Search out additional resources with your trainer to complete all skills (workshops, other producers, agri-businesses)
• Work with the trainer to test your achievement of skill competencies (i.e., on-farm testing)
• Ensure trainer checks of all competent skills on skill profile page as you go through the on-farm test.
• Communicate regularly with your teacher on your progress
• Attend regional training days when offered by your regional coordinator
• Attend the Certification Test at a regional test center when scheduled (call if you can’t make it)
• Turn in test report forms to your teacher to receive your credits. If incomplete, develop a further training plan with your trainer

• Attend an induction
• Provide a work site environment and conditions that support the trainee’s learning of the required skills
• Discuss all the skills and key points with the trainee, assessing previous knowledge and skill level.
• Teach to industry standards and demonstrate proper techniques and procedures using the workbook as the training guide
• Mentor the trainee on all skills even if you don’t do that type of operation or have that type of machinery on your farm
• Encourage and support finding additional resources with your trainee to complete all skills (call your regional coordinator)
• Perform an on-farm test with the trainee, signing off on skill profile sheet, where competency has been achieved
• Encourage and support the trainee’s attendance at a regional certification tests.
• Communicate with the teacher/supervisor on the trainee’s progress when requested (for registered high school trainees)
• Work with Green Certificate Program staff and teachers to manage the training and testing processes, on and off farm

• Be knowledgeable about the program and the types of skills it teaches
• Attend induction meetings with your students
• Follow Off-campus Education Policy of Alberta Education as it applies to Green Certificate (i.e. CTR 1210 Personal Safety Course and work site safety visit)
• Responsible for following school’s fee procedure
• Become familiar with the program by obtaining Delivery Guidelines for Green Certificate School Representatives
• Assist the regional coordinator in scheduling certificate tests
• Understand the process of training, (on-farm tests, signing off skills and what “incomplete” means)
• Inform regional coordinator of special needs or unique circumstances
• Promote the program to students in your school
• Communicate regularly with trainees in your school
• Assign trainees a mark for each training period/course
• Arrange for trainees to receive appropriate credits from Alberta Learning

Each of the Green Certificate curriculums are divided into X, Y and Z training periods within the workbooks. After the trainee and the trainer have gone through the workbook assessing the trainee’s current skill levels and understanding the training process, they can decide on a training/learning plan of action. The trainer and the trainee should take into consideration the time of the year and how that will coincide with the selected training period. Each of the skills listed on the skill profile sheet will be identified as an X, Y, Z, or optional and can be worked on in any order. The trainer and trainee are encouraged to work on both required and optional skills

The workbook is the training guideline, not a textbook.

Training periods are further divided into skills, tasks and key points. The trainer works with the trainee on the key points of a task, checking off competency in each task once it is achieved. After all the skills have been mastered, an on-farm test should be held. The on-farm test allows the trainer to assess the trainee’s progress and determine readiness for a certification test. The on-farm test is a demonstration by the trainee to the trainer that he or she can discuss, perform and understand all of the skills within the training period. The trainer then signs off that skill on the skill profile sheet. A trainee will not be allowed to test at the regional test center if the skill profile sheet has not been signed off for that training period.

Certification Testing

Once the Green Certificate trainee completes a training period, he or she will be required to attend a certification test. The regional coordinator will contact the school representative with the next certification-testing date. In general, certification tests take place in fall, winter and late spring.

The school representative then contacts those students registered in Green Certificate and confirms with the regional coordinator who is ready to attend the next certification test session. The regional coordinator then notifies the school representative of each student's scheduled test time. The school representative ensures that the trainees know the date, time and location of their certification test. Because certification tests take place during the week, the student will be absent from regular school attendance.

The school representative is strongly encouraged to join students at the certification test site in order to meet the regional coordinator and discuss any concerns and successes of the program as it operates in their school, view the certification testing and have an opportunity to speak with the testers.

Certification tests are not easily scheduled with over 1000 trainees across the province and over 200 producers involved as testers. If a student cannot attend, for whatever reason, it is imperative that the regional coordinator be informed at least 24 hours in advance.

Green Certificate testing is a practical and hands-on - not written test. Trainees discuss what they can do on their farms with a green certificate tester. Each trainee is paired up with one tester where they will ask the trainee numerous question and discussing their knowledge and skill level. The tester and the trainee select the five skills to be tested from within the selected training period. Farm Equipment and materials from the training workbooks is used during testing so that the trainee can demonstrate their abilities. Testing is very hands on, for example, skill B3 in Cow calf is Operate stock handling equipment. To test this skill the trainee may have to move live calves through the pen to the chute placing them in a squeeze and head chute, demonstrating safe handling, identification of equipment parts, describe potential hazards and techniques to minimize the hazard. Each trainee is tested in 5 skills selected at random from the training period they have trained on (X, Y Or Z). It takes about 2 hours for each trainee to go through a certification test, and to receive a competent standing the trainee must pass all five skills as tested with their tester. If the student is incomplete on any of the five skills tested they will receive an incomplete and guidance from the tester on what they need to work on before they can return for a retest. The retest will include the skills that were deemed incomplete and other randomly selected skills to make up the 5 skills to be tested on each test.

After the trainee attends a certification test, he or she will have one of two results.

1. Pass - The trainee returns from the certification test with a passing grade and a mark. The Green Certificate student is given one copy of the test report form for the school representative and one copy to keep. Once the school representative receives the certification test report he or she can begin the student's evaluation. It is recommended that the certification mark account for 65% of the Green Certificate grade for the training period. The remaining 35% is determined through further assessment with the trainee and trainer. The school representative then submits the final grade for the Green Certificate training period and corresponding course codes to Alberta Learning.

2. Incomplete - The Green Certificate student returns from the certification test with no mark and guidance for further training needed. The student returns with a copy of the test report and feedback on why they received and incomplete. No mark is given to the student as he or she is asked to do further training and skill enhancement before the next test session.

For Provincial Information and Program Administration Please Contact

Alberta Agriculture and Forestry
The Green Certificate provincial office:

• Develops and updates program curricula and resource materials
• Develops and monitors Green Certificate Program policies and guidelines
• Liaises with Alberta Education to ensure continued accreditation
• Liaises with industry to ensure stated competencies meet industry standards
• Maintains Green Certificate website
• Promotes the program provincially to the public and industry
• Supplies regions with program resources
• Issue Green Certificates
• Facilitates communications between regional coordinators (conference calls, meetings, etc)

• Promoting the program within region
• Recruiting participants (trainers, trainees, schools, testers)
• Delivering the program in their region (i.e. inductions, provide materials, administration)
• Communicating regularly with schools in their region (and adult trainees)
• Coordinating certification testing
• Maintaining regional database and trainee files
• Organizing regional training days
• Communicating with trainees
• Being accessible to trainees, trainers and schools to answer questions and concerns when needed
• Forwarding concerns and questions regarding curriculum to the provincial office