This past Tuesday (April 16), fourty-one students completed verbal and hands-on testing for their Equine Green Certificate at the Cochrane Ag grounds.

The Green Certificate enables Alberta senior high school students to train in eleven different agricultural apprenticeship courses. Pamala Church, the Facilitator, says that manuals are sorted into three sections and after each section, the students must be tested. "Each one of the sections gives them five credits for their high school transcript, plus one mark that goes on to their grade 12 report card and goes toward their Rutherford Scholarship."

With statistics showing that 35% of people in Alberta some way or another work in the agriculture field, the Green Certificate program prepares the students. "This is helping them to be prepared for industry, for the workplace, or even more schooling. Whatever it is they want to get into."

The Green Certificate apprenticeship program has been around since the 70s, says Church, but has gone through several modifications over the years. "In the 70s it was created for adult learners who were working fulltime on farms so that they could learn and train while working fulltime but still get all the knowledge and experience that they needed, and then in 1999, high school students were allowed to take it. But now since 2014, the program is only available to high school students."

While you may think the number of students enrolling in the green certificate program would be decreasing over the years, Church shares it is actually quite the opposite. "I have fourty percent more students signed up this year than ever in our area before. I attribute this to our awesome testers and our awesome way of testing as well as why not get marks for stuff they are already doing?!"

While Tuesday's testing was just for those enrolled in the equine technician program, the program touches on many aspects, shares Church. "It gives them a taste of agriculture in their favourite choice, but either way it talks about agriculture as a whole and gives them very transferrable skills to anywhere in the field of agriculture."

With probably close to half of her students (overall) registered in the equine program, Church was thrilled to have a full day at the Cochrane Ag grounds where students could complete their verbal and hands-on testing at one locale and over one day, thanks to the generosity of two testers and the Ag Society. "The average mark is about 96% and goes right on their grade 12 report card, it counts as a diploma mark, and gives them 5 credits."

If you have never heard of the Green Certificate Program, Church says it is totally worth it especially if you are already working with animals. "If you are working with an animal in any way shape or form, why not get the marks and credits for the work you are already doing at home, know, and like anyways?! 

Students can find out more about the program be speaking to their school's off-campus coordinator or by contacting Chuch HERE.

There are eleven different programs offered through Green Certificate relating to the following specializations:

  • Bee Keeper Production Technician
  • Cow–Calf Beef Production Technician
  • Dairy Production Technician
  • Equine Technician
  • Feedlot Beef Production Technician
  • Field Crop Production Technician
  • Greenhouse Technician
  • Irrigated Field Crop Production Technician
  • Poultry Production Technician (Broiler Chicken, Broiler Hatching Egg, Table Egg, and Turkey)
  • Sheep Production Technician
  • Swine Production Technician