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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Well worth the tuition fee. Learned so many options to use my life energy in a more sustainable way. Can’t wait to apply what I’ve learned!
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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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Rob and Michelle’s experience as mechanical engineers is an asset to their permaculture design course. The course is broken down in a simple, easy to understand format, but what is more is that natural processes are explained and demystified piece by piece so that people taking the course can integrate the new knowledge into their lives. Before taking the course I thought compost was something that holds up a building. Now I know that it is a way to improve soil and save the world.
Entreperneur
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Taking the Verge Permaculture courses helped give me the knowledge, connections, and confidence to make real changes in my life. I was able to start my own business, change my lifestyle, and meet an amazing group of people that helped me every step of the way.
Rancho Relaxo
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Michelle was incredibly welcoming and wonderful to meet and engage with. I've heard good things about Verge and my experience definitely reinforces this reputation.
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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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These two weeks of permaculture have been the most useful and constructive education I have experienced. The practical skills, hopeful perspective and focus on solutions feel empowering.
Owner of Paintbox Lodge and Olympic Medalist
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The sheer breadth and volume of content offered in the PDC made for incredible value. I feel like I now carry knowledge and perspective that are the seeds of true wisdom and a new confidence in the possibilities for living and working differently. Rob leaves you with no excuses for not becoming a positive force in the world!
Holistic Nutritionist
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Rob and Michelle, the owners and creators of Verge Permaculture, have done an amazing job in permeating the ideas of permaculture to our class. They are personable, knowledgeable and pragmatic in their approach and I would recommend that anyone who has an interest in any of the information offered by them access and support their diverse ventures in creating a better world for us all.
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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.
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.
