Mandatory Training Requirements
All applicants to the College of Applied Biologists are required to complete the College's two mandatory training courses as a condition of registration with the College. Beginning in August 2022, current registrants of the College will be selected randomly to complete the the College's mandatory training courses; by December 31, 2024, all registrants of the College will have completed both the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct course and the Indigenous Awareness course in order to gain or maintain registration. The training is offered through the College's training portal and can be completed at any time by logging in and scrolling down to the Courses section.
The two mandatory training courses are:
- Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct course - self paced online course. This course on average can be completed in an hour.
- Indigenous Awareness course - self-paced on-line course that allows you to save your progress and continue at a later date. The College's partner for this course is Indigenous Corporate Training. This is a foundational course for applied biology professionals regarding Indigenous peoples in Canada including but not limited to the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada, historical impacts, current issues and self-government. On average this course takes 3 - 4 hours.
The requirements for mandatory training are set out in section 57 of the Professional Governance Act. The College Council has established the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct course and the Indigenous Awareness training course as the programs that must be completed in order to comply with the Act. Completing a course on the Code of Ethics has been a requirement for registration with the College previously, however the course changed in March 2021 in order to come into compliance with the Professional Governance Act and the new Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. The course relates directly to the new Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and all registrants will be required to take the new course in order to comply with the Act.
Section 57 of the PGA also prescribes that the College establish requirements that support reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in British Columbia (Act, sec. 57 (1) (f)). The mandatory training course will ensure that all applied biology professionals have a baseline level of training. As applied biology professionals frequently collaborate and engage with Indigenous businesses, communities and governments it is vital for practitioners to promote strong relationships and work towards reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in compliance with the PGA and the BC Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
Completion of the courses by current registrants can be accounted for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points.
More information about the mandatory training courses and the requirements for registrants to complete the courses can be found in the mandatory training courses FAQ.
