Home »
Herbal education going strong at college
Twelve years after it began, herbal education at College of the Rockies’ Creston Campus continues to grow in popularity. The programs offered provide some of the best training of its kind in Canada.
This year will see more of this top-notch programming. A workshop entitled Celebrating Herbs is set to start in late January. This workshop provides an introduction to the many uses of herbs including medicinal, culinary, cosmetics and crafts. The extremely popular Herbal Practitioner classroom program will start again at the end of February and the online version will have intakes throughout the year.
College of the Rockies Creston Campus Manager Kathy Tompkins says, “In 2001 we recognized there was an increasing interest in educational opportunities in herbalism and natural medicine. We responded by launching the Herbal Practitioner Program, a 10-month program incorporating home study and classroom time. Response was so overwhelming that we added an online version of the program in 2005.”
The online Herbal Practitioner Program has allowed students from all over Canada, the United States and even Central and South America to expand their knowledge of herbs and, for some, to embark on careers in the field. The online version of the program has expanded to include a version specifically for healthcare professionals looking to broaden their knowledge of herbal medicine.
“Many of our graduates have gone on to open their own herbal consulting service or apothecary, to produce their own herbal products or to work in health stores or as sales representatives for companies producing herbal products. Others are growing herbs to sell to suppliers or have gone on to further training in related fields such as massage therapy, midwifery and aromatherapy,” Tompkins continues.
The community of Creston has also benefitted from the programs offered at College of the Rockies. The creation of the Greenheart Herbal Society was inspired by the Herbal Practitioner Program and many of the program’s graduates now share their knowledge of herbs with the community through this group.
To learn more about herbal education opportunities at College of the Rockies’ Creston Campus contact (250) 428-5332 or go to www.cotr.bc.ca/creston
Above photo: Herbal Practitioner Program instructor, Rachel Beck, examines some fresh herbs.
COTR
