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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The PDC changed how I look at the world around me. I even find myself considering the permaculture possibilities for houses I see for sale when I'm out running! I loved getting to know a group of like-minded people in my new city over the course of several months. I would recommend this course to anyone looking to take action in the face of challenges facing our society.
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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 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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This course allowed me to tie loose ends together and exuded a great deal of reassurance and credibility toward my grassroots initiatives. This course was worth every penny and moment I spent and I hope the momentum for others to participate keeps up!
Grassroots initiator for responsible living
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Extremely valuable, inspiring, relevant, and loaded with useful information. More than worth the price!
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The money I put into this course is so tiny compared to what I’ve spent on material possessions that have no significance to me whatsoever. This is a drastic life changer. Rob gives many ideas on how to make a right livelihood. Now, I’m going to focus all my time towards bettering my environment and I’m leaving with many ideas on how to accomplish that.
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Thank-you for being such a vocal, sincere, passionate advocate for the ability of ethics to restore the possibility of trust in family and community relationships
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This class has helped me realize the potential each one of us has to create a better world. I am filled with possibilities, and that’s an exciting feeling! Now, the work….!
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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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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
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.
