Student and Parent Information

How does it work?
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry works in partnership with the agriculture industry and Alberta Education (via the off campus education policy) to offer the Green Certificate Program to all Albertans. Trainees select one of the specializations and under the guidance of their trainer, work towards mastering all skills within their training program.

What is in it for me, as a high school student?

• You can earn up to 16 grade-twelve diploma credits per specialization completed
• You have fun learning more about agriculture in a practical, hands-on environment
• You increase your knowledge, skill level and gain valuable work experience
• You can reach further educational goals. Many post secondary agricultural institutions and scholarship programs look favourably upon Green Certificate involvement.
• You can explore career options in the agriculture industry
• You earn recognition for what you can already do on the farm
• You learn more about animals, agriculture, machinery and farming operations
• You can include the experience and training on your resume and add the certificate of completion to your portfolio

• Employability and safety skills
• Processing and handling systems
• Feeding systems and rations
• Waste management and sanitation
• Health and treating of livestock
• Reproduction
• Management systems

• Employability and safety skills
• Fertilizing and seeding
• Harvesting, handling and storing grain and forage crops
• Land preparation, field and crop care
• Operating and servicing equipment and facilities
• Management systems

• Employability and safety skills
• Handling bees
• Maintaining bee health
• Operating bee equipment
• Beekeeping business planning

• Employability and safety skills
• Complete Seasonal Maintenance
• Understand Basic Botany
• Establish and Maintain Proper Growing Conditions
• Prepare to Grow Plants
• Seed, Root and Transplant Propagation Material
• Identify Plant Problems
• Maintain Production Quality
• Market and Sell Product

What do I have to do?

Trainee

• Attend an induction
• Develop a training plan with your trainer
• Train on all the skills in the book
• 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)
• Communicate regularly with your teacher on your progress
• Attend regional training days when offered by your regional coordinator ( not mandatory)
• Attend the Certification Test at a regional test center when scheduled
• 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
• Develop a training plan with your trainee
• Mentor trainee on all skills
• Use workbook as the training guide to develop best management practices
• Encourage and support finding additional resources
• Perform an on-farm test with the trainee, signing off on skill profile sheet, where competency has been achieved
• Support the trainee’s attendance at a regional certification tests
• Communicate with the teacher/supervisor on the trainee’s progress

• 15 years of age
• Enrolled in grades 10 , 11 or 12