Cert IV Permaculture questions

Discussion in 'Jobs, projects, courses, training, WWOOFing, volun' started by Tulugaq, Jun 9, 2013.

  1. Tulugaq

    Tulugaq Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2013
    Messages:
    22
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    This is mostly a question for the Australian members, but I am happy for anyone's thoughts really.

    What are your opinions on Cert IV Permaculture that is run through tafe? How does it compare to a PDC or an "introduction to permaculture"? Is it not as good? Much the same? Better? I am really curious to hear people's thoughts and opinions on this.

    There is another thread about online permaculture courses, I know that the cert iv permaculture is run online which is what got me thinking about this.
     
  2. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2005
    Messages:
    2,922
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    0
    G'day Tulugaq, welcome to the PRI Forum.

    My Opinion of TAFE institutions in general, is that they vary in quality concerning content and delivery. Not really any different, in general, from PDCs or 'introduction to permaculture' type courses.

    Regarding the Cert IV/Diploma in Permaculture courses that are available, the key points that I would be researching are:

    1) Who is the author of the course material, what experience/qualifications do they have/hold?

    2) What is completion rate history of the course, and why did people finish/not finish?

    3) How much does it cost, and what do I get for my money?

    4) Will I have the opportunity to interact face-to-face with my teacher/mentor/other students, and on my/their chosen sites?

    The answers to the above questions are relatively easy to find:

    1) https://training.gov.au/Training/Details/30869QLD

    2) https://eltham.chdigital.com.au/wp-...1/Enrolments-and-Completions-Reports-2011.pdf

    3) https://www.rit.tafensw.edu.au/courses/detail/181816

    4) Give each of the providers a call and find out.

    In sum, my suggestion is (and always will be) that you thoroughly research all of the options in order to find the situation that best suits your own circumstances, and the best way to do this, I have found, is to contact each of the course providers and ask questions - lots of questions.

    Cheerio, Markos
     
  3. Tulugaq

    Tulugaq Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2013
    Messages:
    22
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Thanks Markos!

    I have been trying to find out what the difference is between them for some time now, but was having a lot of trouble finding anything definitive.

    So generally speaking, the tafe course can be much the same as a PDC or an intro to permaculture depending on who is running it? That sure is good to know.
     
  4. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2005
    Messages:
    2,922
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    0
    G'day again, Tulugaq

    'Much the same', in the sense of variation in content and delivery quality. Meaning, there are some great courses out there, and some not so great. Obviously, there are going to be structural variances between the amount of time (and money) spent studying an 'intro to permaculture' (perhaps over a weekend, and around $500), a PDC (72-hours, perhaps as a 2-week 'intensive', and $1.5-2k), and a Cert IV/Diploma (12-18 months EFT, and $5-10k).

    But yes, my personal focus at this stage of your research would be on trying to determine the quality of any course before signing up, and the most effective way of doing this, I have found, is by reviewing what is on offer through a process of 'interviewing' (asking questions of) past students, teachers, providers and promoters, etc.

    Cheerio, Markos
     
  5. Tulugaq

    Tulugaq Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2013
    Messages:
    22
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Thanks again for the replies Markos,

    I have been reading permaculture books and doing small scale permaculture for more than a few years now. I have been involved in a few small projects both in Australia and abroad, I have also been teaching people about about permaculture in an informal way on and off over the years. I thought it may be time to do some formal study and get an actual qualification, then perhaps one day start to teach it more formally.

    I am currently enrolled in a Cert IV which is all bar finished as it concludes at the end of this month. After looking on the net everyone talks about the courses that they run, I was not able to find anywhere that compared the different qualifications. TAFE study is free for me, and I studied by distance so was able to fit it around work, so as far as time/finances it is the best option for me, but I have started to worry that it is not really worth the paper it is written on as no one seems to mention it anywhere outside of TAFE. No one who teaches permaculture anywhere seems to have the Cert IV, they all seem to have completed a PDC.
     
  6. andrew curr

    andrew curr Moderator

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2010
    Messages:
    1,194
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    38
    WHERE ARE YOU?
    You recon 18months at tafe would really cost that much?
    One of the local tafe teachers here claims to be a permaculturalist and poisons honey locusts (go figure?]
    I used to teach woolclassing at tafe ; I spoke to the principal about PC courses he intimated that if we could get a class full we could run a course(Im sure there would be impediments like i dont possess a current ohs cert){not that the little old lady that i did CPR on last year minded}



    There are some young folk moving into my cottage soon and they will need to do a PDC soon
    Thus we will Probably run a course on this place
    I have access to a Teacher ,but she is a bit pregnant ,so we should move reasonably swiftly
     
  7. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2005
    Messages:
    2,922
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Don't know about the number of Cert IV grads now teaching. Get in touch with Robyn Francis, the author of the TAFE permaculture curriculum and one of Australia's leading permaculture practitioners. She should be able to inform you. Her contact details are in my original response.
     
  8. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2005
    Messages:
    2,922
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    0
    From the third link in my original response:

    Course Fee is $11,660.00
    This is a fee for service (commercial) course and attracts a commercial fee.
    There are NO FEE EXEMPTIONS or CONCESSIONS for this course.
     
  9. andrew curr

    andrew curr Moderator

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2010
    Messages:
    1,194
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    38
    JESUS!
    you would have thgought with all this modern tecnology they could have made education cheaper by now
    I still feel guilty bout being in the last year of free education in NSW/Australia
     
  10. Tulugaq

    Tulugaq Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2013
    Messages:
    22
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Someone sent me a PM asking questions about the Cert IV course I did. Unfortunately I am unable to reply via private message, something to do with their settings perhaps?

    I am more than happy to answer questions about the course I did. There are some things that you should probably be aware of prior to enrolling in that particular course but do not feel that posting them on an open forum like this is appropriate (especially as in the future they will hopefully fix these problems). Anyway, if you have questions send me a PM and I will reply if the system allows me.
     

Share This Page

-->