CRAM Trainers

CRAM welcomes experienced practitioners to fulfill the requirements to become a CRAM trainer. The process begins with becoming a journeyman trainer under one of the current trainers, to gain experience and the skills needed for teaching CRAM. As a journeyman, you will be required to complete both office and field-based components, including coursework, supervised applications of CRAM, and assisting in practitioner training sessions.

The following elements must be completed for an individual to become a CRAM trainer:

• Attend and successfully complete a general CRAM training course (or equivalent),
• Conduct and upload to eCRAM at least 30 CRAM assessments as part of a team of 2 or more people,
• Notify the L2 of your commitment to becoming a trainer, and be sponsored by an existing lead trainer,
• Participate in instructing a total of two 5-day training courses as a "journeyman" trainer (under the supervision of an established CRAM trainer), and
• Receive endorsement from the sponsoring lead trainer
• See the Data Quality Assurance Plan for CRAM, Section 7.3 for more details

Although a competency evaluation (either a written or field test) is not necessary if an individual successfully completes the office and field requirements as outlined above, individuals must be recommended by at least one established CRAM trainer (or member of the CRAM PI team) as “qualified” to teach CRAM. Final approval of any journeyman trainers must be vetted through the L2 subcommittee of the CWMW. When they receive final approval, trainers graduate from “journeyman” status to a fully qualified CRAM trainer. Trainers should only teach the CRAM module for the wetland type(s) for which they have been trained. Future CRAM trainers can be identified via practitioner training courses or be recommended by a member of the CRAM PI Team.

Qualified CRAM trainers will be required to attend an annual “Train the Trainers” workshop, and a ½ day “refresher” training if significant methodological revisions to the CRAM method have been made since their last training course was taught. The “Train the Trainers” workshop will take place over a 2-day period, and members of the established CRAM PI/training team will lead the workshop. The objectives of this workshop are:

• To provide an opportunity for CRAM trainers to work closely with the CRAM PI Team on teaching skills, improving participant’s technical understanding of CRAM, and inter-team calibration at a minimum of two wetland types;
• To refine the content and use of teaching tools (PowerPoint presentations, field books, photo-dictionaries, etc.) in both classroom and field settings;
• To ensure trainers fully understand eCRAM and data quality issues;
• To provide an opportunity for all participants to review, refine, and improve the CRAM training material and presentations;

To begin the journeyman process, please contact a current CRAM Trainer or PI member in your region. testing