In January 2020, the College Council (now Board) approved that three (3) mandatory training courses would be required for all new registrants:
- The Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct course, as the Code of Ethics had been revised to come into compliance with the Professional Governance Act.
- Indigenous Awareness, to ensure that all registrants of the College had a baseline knowledge of the history and injustices that have and continue to affect Indigenous Peoples, and
- A Legal requirements course to help give new registrants a basic understanding of the legal requirements that applied biologists work with.
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 requirements for mandatory training are set out in section 57 of the Professional Governance 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 courses will ensure that all applied biology professionals have a baseline level of training.
All the courses are available and completed online via the College registrant portal.
Mandatory training for new registrants
As of October 16, 2023, the Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct, Indigenous Awareness, and Legal Requirements courses are required to be paid for and completed as part of the registration requirements for applicants. The fee for all courses combined is $500.
The training is offered through the College’s training portal and can be completed once your application is approved by logging in and scrolling down to the Courses section.
The College Board 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. The Board identified the Legal Requirements course as an important program in helping to familiarize new registrants with the legal frameworks for applied biology in the province of BC.
Who needs to take the Legal Requirements course?
The Board determined that all new applicants to the College will be required to take the legal requirements course prior to being registered. The Legal Requirements course is voluntary for existing registrants.
Mandatory training for current registrants
Current registrants of the College must have completed the following mandatory training courses in order to maintain their registration:
- Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct course
- Indigenous Awareness course
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 are required to take the new course in order to comply with the Act.
Section 57 of the PGA prescribes that the College establish requirements that support reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. 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.
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 maintain registration. The College Board determined that the Legal Requirements course would not be mandatory for current registrants of the College. Nevertheless, the course contains useful foundational information on a variety of statutes and frameworks and may be of interest to registrants. Registrants can complete the course for a reduced fee.
Completion of the courses by current registrants can be accounted for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points.
The Courses
The Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct course
The Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct course explores the College’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. It is a self-paced online course delivered via the College’s Learning Management System. This course on average can be completed in an hour.
Indigenous Awareness course
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. It is a 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. On average this course takes 3 – 4 hours.
Legal Requirements course
The Legal Requirements course covers federal and provincial legislation and other legal frameworks that registrants identified as being commonly used by applied biology professionals. It is a self-paced online course delivered via the College’s Learning Management System.
