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Know-how · Audit who knows what and plan the learning · skills-4

Find reputable courses near you, by country

Courses from recognised bodies give hands-on practice and current methods. Online videos are useful for revision but cannot check your technique.

How

  1. First aid: American Red Cross (US), British Red Cross (UK), Canadian Red Cross (Canada) and St John Ambulance (Australia and other countries) all run public courses. See skills-5 for detail.
  2. Community emergency response: CERT (US) teaches fire safety, light search and rescue, team organisation and disaster medical operations, with Teen and Workplace versions. Elsewhere, ask your local authority, fire service or first aid charity for an equivalent.
  3. Gardening: university extension Master Gardener programmes (US); for example the University of Maine course runs 18 weeks at 4 to 5 hours a week plus a 40-hour volunteer internship. Intakes can pause, so check dates.
  4. Food preservation: extension food preservation courses such as Preserve@Home (University of Idaho, online, with a certificate at 70 percent or higher).
  5. Amateur radio: ARRL class finder (US) lists in-person and online classes; RSGB (UK) lists Foundation courses and exams. Other countries have national societies.
  6. Trades: community college and further education colleges run construction and maintenance programmes. Example: Copper Mountain College (California) offers a 17-unit certificate covering safety, framing, plumbing fundamentals, finish carpentry and permits.
  7. Youth: 4-H (US) offers projects in small engines, electricity, woodworking, sewing, food preservation and animal science.

Sources

  1. Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED (class page). American Red Cross, accessed 2026-11
  2. Book a first aid course. British Red Cross, accessed 2026-11
  3. Which types of certifications are offered?. Canadian Red Cross, accessed 2026-11
  4. Provide First Aid (HLTAID011), 1 day. St John Ambulance Western Australia, accessed 2026-11
  5. Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), accessed 2026-11
  6. Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program. University of Maine Cooperative Extension, accessed 2026-11
  7. Preserve@Home course brochure (January 2026). University of Idaho Extension (hosted by Colorado State University Extension), accessed 2026-11
  8. Finding a licence class. ARRL, the national association for amateur radio (US), accessed 2026-11
  9. Foundation licence. Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), accessed 2026-11
  10. Certificate of Achievement in Residential Construction and Maintenance. Copper Mountain College (California community college), accessed 2026-11
  11. 4-H projects: all projects. Washington State University Extension 4-H, accessed 2026-11

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