The Permaculture Certificate of Achievement prepares students to become good horticulturists and stewards of sustainability. Permaculture is farming or gardening with long term sustainability as the top priority. Part philosophy and part practice, permaculture uses a systematic system of thinking to design the environment to use less resources and be regenerative. Students develop an understanding of soil health, proper landscape site evaluation for best design layout and utilization of the site, understanding potential for water catchment, gray water, renewable and reusable resources, and incorporation of animals.
The certificate prepares students for career opportunities in sustainable landscape design, installation, maintenance, watershed management and restoration, ecosystem management, and soil control. Self-employment is a popular option as well as employment with city or county government agencies, small businesses, and private farms.
A total of 20 students are expected to enroll with potential for annual growth. Completion rates of the Certificate of Achievement are expected to be five to ten per year with a potential for annual growth.
Cabrillo College is seeking approval from the Chancellor’s Office for the new Permaculture Certificate of Achievement in Career Technical Education. The horticulture program is designed to train and educate students to work in the fields of landscape and general horticulture, sustainable and organic food production, ornamental and decorative plant production agriculture and soil science, arboriculture, permaculture, greenhouse and nursery management, landscape design, landscape installation, and maintenance.
The need for horticulture certificates and degrees has been advocated for by local, regional, and national governments and consortiums and supported by current, regional labor market research (TOP 0109.10). The horticulture program is aligned with Cabrillo’s mission, master plan, and statewide community college work in Guided Pathways. Approval of this program will benefit regional employers, fulfill horticulture and crop production needs of the local community, augment college enrollment, and support non-traditional and underserved minority students in a viable career and academic path. This program would give our students the knowledge and skills they need to work towards additional certificates or a degree and/or excel in the workforce. The goal is for certificate completers to be gainfully employed or continue with an associates degree. Working with employers to identify earning potential is promising, with potential for a starting salary of $39,000-$45,000/yr in jobs such as landscaper, groundskeeper, laborer, irrigation technician, gardener, or grounds maintenance worker.
A labor market analysis indicates there is a large labor market gap in the Bay region with 1,007 annual openings for the Landscape Design and Maintenance occupational cluster and 70 annual (3-year average) awards for an annual undersupply of 5,700 students. In the SC-Monterey Sub-Region, there is also a gap in annual job openings and few annual (3-year average) awards for an annual undersupply of 1,292 students.
16 units of required coursework in the horticulture department.
The certificates and degrees include work experience education allowing students to practically apply what they have learned to work experience and internships locally.
The horticulture department is also partnering with local and state universities to develop degrees that onboard directly into a 4-year degree program. These are currently offered in agricultural plant sciences and an agricultural business program is being developed with the goal of expanding offerings.
Course | Title | Units | Year/Semester (Y1 or S1) |
---|---|---|---|
HORT1A | Basic Horticulture | 4.00 | S1 |
HORT2 | Soil Science | 4.00 | S1 |
HORT58 | Irrigation Systems | 4.00 | S2 |
HORT173 | Landscape Pruning | 1.00 | S2 |
HORT176 | Permaculture Design | 3.00 | S1 |
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