United States Department of Agriculture
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Conservation Boot Camp – Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reserve seats now for 2008 Boot Camp?

The National Employee Development Center (NEDC) is accepting reservations for the FY-2008 Conservation Boot Camp Training Program.  The tuition will be $7,000 per seat.  Tuition will cover all expenses associated with Boot Camp including student travel and Instructor/On-site team travel, salaries and benefits. 

How long is Boot Camp?

The “formal” portion of the course is now three weeks long.  When the weather cooperates, approximately half of the course is in the field on a working farm.  Participants travel on a Monday, and the course starts on Tuesday.  Participants stay at the course site through two weekends, finish on a Thursday of week three, and travel home on Friday.

What content is covered?

  • At the end of this course, participants will be able to guide decision makers through a comprehensive conservation planning process that complies with national policy.
    • Emphasis is on the Conservation Planning process.  The instruction does not concentrate on specific tools, programs, or land uses.  The focus is on the science and interaction with the decision maker in the planning process.   See Boot Camp Tasks for more information. Participants will create a conservation plan and present it to a decision maker.

What happened to some of the other topics that were taught at Boot Camp?

NEDC is converting and/or adding some topics to a distance learning format. The distance learning program will be delivered using AgLearn.  When the modules are complete, both the classroom and distance learning portions of the course will be required.  The following is a preliminary list of distance learning topics being developed:
  • ­ Urban Land Management
  • Civil Rights ­
  • Working Relations/Working with Partners
  • Plant Materials Program ­
  • Water and Climate Issues
  • Public Affairs ­
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Air Quality/Atmospheric Change

What is the $7000 tuition used for?

 

Boot Camp Tuition

 

 

 

Instructor & Coordinator Salaries/Benefits

$2,189

Lodging

$1,711

Meals/Per Diem

$986

Employee Travel

$895

Supplies, Equipment & Miscellaneous

$461

Working Farm & Logistics Coordination

$216

Classroom Facility

$150

NEDC Oversight

$132

Transportation – Classroom to Working Farm

$99

Instructor Preparation and Training

$98

Printing & Shipping

$66

 

$7,000

Who are the Instructors?

NEDC utilizes an interdisciplinary team of instructors with representatives from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds. Instructors are field based “practicing conservationists” which provides credibility with course participants.

Where/when are the Sessions?

The session schedule and locations are released as early as possible in each fiscal year. NEDC will host Boot Camp sessions in locations that provide the Agency with the following advantages:
  • Low per diem and lodging rates ­
  • Low transportation costs ­
  • Proximity of diverse working farm(s)

Who is required to attend?

The Conservation Boot Camp program is mandatory for new employees in the following series: 0400 Series – Biological Sciences, 0800 Series – Engineering and Architecture, 0110 Series – Economists, and 1300 Series – Physical Sciences.
Employees should attend 6 – 18 months after joining the Agency. When calculating the number of months for an employee, include all time worked in all capacities including time as a temporary employee or student intern.

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