Natural Resources Conservation Program Certificate

Career Description

Entry-level positions with the NRCS include Soil Conservation Technician and Soil Conservationist. These positions involve working with agricultural producers to assess site and operations and develop, implement, monitor, and revise conservation plans to address resource issues. The NRCS is a Federal program that provides employment opportunities nationally and advancement within the agency.

Program Information

The CLC Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) Conservation Practices certificate program provides Natural Resources Technology students with additional experience applying conservation practices in agricultural settings. The curriculum includes site visits to forests, pasture lands, cropping systems, and farmsteads where NRCS conservation practices have been implemented and overview of the issues they have addressed. Successful completion of the certificate, with the Natural Resources Technology A.A.S. degree will qualify graduates for direct entry into NRCS positions.

Program Outcomes

Graduates will be able to

• Interpret how ecological relationships that are influenced by agricultural practices and identify appropriate conservation practices to mitigate their impacts;
• Analyze data from existing conservation plans, determine their effectiveness and identify modification to improve their performance if warranted;
• Communicate in oral and written forms with agricultural producers, supervisors, peers, and natural resource agencies; and
• Navigate and safely function in an outdoor workplace.

Special Program Requirements

In addition to the program requirements, students must meet the following conditions in order to graduate

1. College Cumulative GPA Requirement cumulative grade point average (GPA) of credits attempted and completed at CLC must be at least 2.0;
2. College Technical Core GPA Requirement cumulative GPA of credits attempted and completed towards the technical core of the diploma or degree must be at least 2.0;
3. Residency Requirement students must complete 25% of their credits at Central Lakes College.

Employment Statistics

For more information regarding employment statistics, career salary information and estimated job growth, follow the resource links below

https//apps.deed.state.mn.us/lmi/ces/
http//www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm
Salary information from indeed.com