| | Certification testing occurs throughout the province of Alberta, three times per year. Testing is coordinated through the five Green Certificate Regional Coordinators. Certification testing is one of the pillars of the Green Certificate program.
Independent panels of recognized experts in the eleven specialized fields are assembled at regularly scheduled intervals in the Green Certificate Training Program. The performance and knowledge of the trainee is compared to the industry standards specified in the curriculum.
The trainee is tested on 5 skills selected at random from the chosen training period. The tester observes as the trainee demonstrates knowledge and performance in all key points under each of the 5 selected skills.
The tester looks at:
- How the trainee deals with equipment and parts,
- Safety factors,
- Reasons for performing the task at hand,
- The consequences of inadequate performance,
- Identification of materials and equipment,
- The meanings of the terms relevant to performing the tasks, and
- The main steps involved in common operation methods
Each certificate tester takes the approach of "does this trainee understand what is asked of them and can they perform the skills being asked in such a way that I would feel confident in hiring them to work on my own farm".
The trainee is required to be tested on 3 separate training periods (X, Y, Z). The trainee is eligible for certification when all three training periods have been successfully completed on the farm and assessed at the regional certification-testing event.
Successful high school student trainees will be given a copy of their certification test report to be taken to their school representative. The certification test report and assessment will be used by the school representative to assist in determining course marks.
If the trainee does not complete all of the skills successfully, he or she returns to the farm for more training. They can then return for another test at the next available test time. It should be noted that an incomplete is marked on their Green Certificate test report, yet high school students do not receive an academic penalty . The test report then becomes a study tool. Any of the 5 skill areas that are marked as incomplete will be retested at the next testing event, as well as other randomly selected skill to make up the 5 skills to be tested. The trainee must bring their incomplete certification test feedback form to their re-test.
After all of the skills in the three testing periods have been completed and tested, the skill profile is stamped and certified. It can be put in the trainee’s portfolio, complete with the trainer’s initials in every required skill box. Employers can see at a glance exactly what skills the trainee is competent in.
A certificate is issued, signed by the Minister of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.
All the trainee’s credentials (skill profile and certificate) are put together into a package called The Green Certificate Program Training Record, and sent to the school.
Return to Green Certificate homepage |
|