Beyond the PDC – Professional Development in Permaculture

Already done a PDC? Looking for ways to fill in the critical skills and knowledge gaps? We can help…
PCA (Permaculture College Australia) offers a range of options for permaculturists to fast-track practical skills beyond the PDC to be more effective in your chosen field of Permaculture practices.
• Professional Development short intensive courses,
• Permaculture Practices longer term internships,
• APT Accredited Permaculture Training courses/qualifications & RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning)
• Work for Wisdom limited placements for volunteers.

Professional Development Short Courses

intensive specialist courses with highly experienced trainers, well developed curricula and student handbooks of notes & resources. Participants receive a PCA Certificate of Completion. PD courses at PCA include:

Sustainable Aid: Permaculture for the 2/3rds World – a Regenerative Approach to Facilitating Resilient Community Development in Areas of Need and in overseas development work – Trainer: Robyn Francis & guests.  Held annually at PDA Djanbung Gardens. Next Course Oct 21- 26 2013.

Advanced Design Skills: learn how to communicate with clients, prepare briefs and quotes, survey and draw professional plans, construction drawings, cost projects & bills of quantity, establishing a design consultancy. Plus a session mapping PDC+ADS to the Core units of APT Cert IV & Diploma. w Robyn Francis, Held 2xper year. Next ADS: Jan , 2014 • Aug  2014.

Permaculture Practices Internships

Join our PCA permaculture practices training terms, late April to end June and late July to end September. Each term covers different skills – see APT course program Term 2 and & Term 3 for details. (NB you can join the program without enrolling in APT) Most weeks consists of 2-3 days class-based training, 2-3 days hands-on practical and project work. Duration 8-10 weeks Participants receive a PCA Permaculture Practices statement certificate noting skills areas they’ve mastered.

APT – Accredited Permaculture Training

These courses lead to national AQF qualifications in Permaculture. At PCA we offer certificates III, IV and Diploma. Your previous studies (PDC) and Permaculture experience can be credited through RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning). The PDC provides approx 20% of knowledge requirements in APT courses. APT courses are Austudy approved for eligible full time students. BTW You don’t have to do full-time training and can choose to enrol in the specific classes/courses and undertake projects that help you build your qualification.

APT is competency-based training where the skills and ability to DO things is as important as the knowledge. Qualifications are made up with a collection of units of competency that relate to specific actions in Permaculture work. For example we’ve had PDC holders enrol for the Permaculture Practices half semester to fast track their knowledge and skills gaps and complete project work at home to complete a certificate III or IV. Please see the APT details here.

Work for Wisdom Volunteers

PCA/Djanbung Gardens offers limited placements for PDC graduates as volunteers or WWOOFing. Volunteers camp on site (sometimes bunk accommodation is available) and cooperate with other participants living on site to share food costs and cooking and enjoy access to all student resources. 3hrs per day covers accommodation, site facilities and resources, additional hours accrue course credits. The main period for Volunteer and wwoof placements is October through to early February.

Local volunteers are welcome to join our Wednesday work day in the gardens and undertake voluntary project work on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year.

PCA is about integrated and wholistic education and training, developing not only knowledge and skills in design and practical food production, technology and building but also develops organisational and social skills for working with people and facilitating group and community projects.

Djanbung Gardens is walking distance from the village for shopping, essen†ial services and lots of social activities from yoga and dance to music and diverse community groups and initiatives to participate in.