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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This design course really helped to us draw connections to integrate shelter more closely with the landscape.
Dirt Craft Natural Building
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Thank-you for your continued support over the years and for facilitating what was a pivotal point in my fiancee and my life.
Reforged Ironworks
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Rob’s course will transform you into someone ready to make the changes you want to make but are unsure are even possible. The revealing of permaculture design and knowledge at [the permaculture design course] is so powerful because it equips you with the knowledge of how to make real and significant changes in your community and your own life.
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If you want to schedule an event with them, or just attend one, I recommend them very, very highly.
Author of Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture
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Verge Permaculture gave us the power of knowledge, wisdom, creativity and excitement. I will not forget my experience and I hope that I too can make a difference in my community.
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I plan to develop a multi generational permaculture farm and teaching centre where I can apply what I learned and pass it on to others. The instructors were all passionate and helpful. They made it an enjoyable experience. I feel that I got amazing value for the money spent.
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I would recommend this course to others. It covers alot of ground & offers resources to implement into daily lives on a small or larger scale, for anyone looking to live a more natural & simpler life along with nature. Surprisingly, this course touched me on a deep level & has changed my perception in many ways.
Bowen Therapist
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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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Rob and Michelle’s continuous passion for seeking out innovative approaches and finding ways to disseminate valuable information in the community with a keen eye for business sense has been a game-changer in Calgary, and across Alberta.
The Meaningful Work Project
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A course in permaculture is a course on how you want to ethically exist on planet Earth. Its a paradigm shift unlocking life's greatest mysteries and the team at Verge leave you with a tool box for life.
Farmer
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.
