Ever Wondered…
“What can I do with a Permaculture Certificate?”
Meet Our Alumni and Get Inspired By Their Stories!
We have over 500 graduates of our Permaculture Design Certificate course, and they’re doing some extraordinary things. This page is dedicated to showcasing their great work through beautiful videos, clever interviews and profiles of successful student businesses and projects.
Two filmmakers set out to document 10 of our grads in action as they start homesteads, businesses, conferences and more. Warning: beautiful footage and inspiring stories will make you want to jump up and follow suit!
This series tells the stories of 10 past students of our Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course, documenting what they’ve done with the knowledge, skills and inspiration they acquired from the course. Two film makers set out to find these graduates and catch them in action, capturing their successes, struggles, and transformations as they embark on new endeavours – starting gardens, homesteads, community projects, businesses, building sustainable homes and structures, hosting conferences and much more.
At this turning point in human history, where people from all walks of life have begun searching for a more fulfilling and sustainable way of living, these PDC graduates show what is possible, and in doing so demonstrate the essence of the permaculture movement that is sweeping Calgary and the world. We hope that watching these videos inspires you as much as we were inspired by creating them; so kick back, press play, and enjoy watching positive, practical change in action!
10 Part Series Trailer:
With countless Verge grads launching their own permaculture careers and projects, it’s getting harder and harder to keep up! So each month, we profile at least one PDC grad and their permaculture business or project. If you’ve ever daydreamed about quitting your job and starting a meaningful career healing the earth, these grads will show you how it’s done.
Explore our Verge Alumni Profiles:
Taking a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) can be a life-changing experience. Many of our students leave the course so inspired and full of ideas, they end up making dramatic lifestyle changes, sometimes leaving their jobs to pursue careers in permaculture. And not surprisingly. In this exciting, dynamic and earth-healing field, there’s a lot of room for work. So what does life after the PDC look like? Read on, as Sara Haney, a PDC graduate herself, interviews seven of Verge’s PDC graduates about the career and life changes that followed their course.
Life after the PDC Interviews:
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I found the course to be more than just intensive permaculture design information but really a plan for living a meaningful life with ethics and meaning.
Photographer
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I am excited to develop my garden and help friends and schools with theirs as well. The information on water systems was really well thought out and delivered and really made me consider how I have been looking at properties.
School garden coordinator
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The Verge Permaculture [Design Course] is a comprehensive course with hands-on applications. It is fantastic! Rob Avis provides functional information that goes way beyond the garden to – building, growing & creating a good life. We walked out of the [course] with so many entrepreneurial & sustainable ideas & opportunities there is no way this functional system (permaculture) cannot grow exponentially to make a better future. I am so excited!
Environmental Planner
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Permaculture connects ideas and processes in a new way that will improve life for humans and nature. I really appreciated this opportunity to learn about permaculture
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I don’t even know where to start. The people, the information, the community, the treasure trough of resources. EVERYTHING I signed up for and soo so much more. Thank you Verge for creating this space and this course to provide the vessel for us to carry out our dreams and provide us the hope to spark this change.
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I have spent five years fretting about ecological, energy, and economic issues that will no doubt arrive at our collective doorsteps. This course has helped me to understand that there are practical solutions which build real wealth, and don't involve living in a cave. This course was worth every cent. I plan on making this my new career.
Biologist, Geographer - Paper Street Permaculture
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The PDC was an invaluable investment. Much like when getting proper nutrition and exercise I now feel enabled to express myself.more wholly. The information was densely packed but there was a clear reason for each piece of content being discussed. Rob Avis offers a unique approach to permaculture that really connected with my pragmatic and humorous worldview. A great two weeks with an extraordinary group of people.
Tiny House Builder
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For the fee of the course, it was absolutely yielded within the first weekend of the course time. I intend on becoming an instructor within the permaculture community. The passion from Rob and Michelle truly inspired me to take the next step. Permaculture is by far the most educationally stimulating course I have ever taken! Thank you!
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If you ever thought that there had to be a better way of looking at the world, this course will not only offer one to you, but also give you the details on how to make it work. Life Changing!
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I was truly inspired by Rob and Michelle and am certain that permaculture will become a large part of my life in the future. I would recommend this course to anyone who is willing to learn about how to take responsibility for their impact on this planet. BEWARE: Once you go permaculture, you can never go back. The community we’ve built, skills we’ve learned and knowledge we’ve gained are invaluable – taking this course is an excellent investment.
How Permaculture Changed My Life
In this newest blog series, we feature personal stories from past alumni about how how permaculture changed the direction of their outlooks and careers.
