Bergen Community College (BCC) launched new staff development programs aimed at equipping students with the skills they need to establish themselves in New Jersey’s burgeoning legalized cannabis industry.
In a March 15 press release introducing the cannabis education program, BCC President Eric Friedman said the combined offerings position the Paramus-based community college as one of the few educational institutions in the state to sponsor such comprehensive opportunities.
“Community colleges respond to the demands of industry, the workforce and the local economy,” he said. “With our cannabis programs, Bergen can create new avenues for employment in New Jersey.”
Professor Steven Fischer works with students in Bergen Community College’s cannabis certification program. – BERGEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
According to BCC, the first program, a Certificate of Achievement in Medical and Industrial Cannabis through the college’s Faculty of Biology and Horticulture, is focused on preparing students for careers in clinical research, development and commercialization.
Additional certifications, offered by BCC’s Continuing Education and Human Development Department in partnership with Green Flower, a cannabis education provider, prepare students for dispensing, cultivation and manufacturing careers.
In the certificate of achievement program developed by the school’s Faculty of Biology and Horticulture, students begin with classes such as Plant Science and Human Plant Relations, which provide foundational learning in the disciplines.
They will then move on to cannabis-specific coursework in recently approved classes Physiological Effects of Cannabinoids in Humans and Commercial Practices for the Production of Medicinal and Industrial Cannabis Species.
Upon completion of the 18-credit program — which can be completed in just three semesters — students will eventually graduate with the Bergen Certificate of Achievement and choose to pursue a career or transfer the credits to a four-year institution for an undergraduate degree.
Meanwhile, Green Flower’s eight-week certificate programs prepare students for immediate entry into the workforce as pharmacists, growers and manufacturing agents.
The online, self-paced programs focus on best practices and developing the skills needed in the workplace. Students who complete the programs will not only have the necessary knowledge to find employment, but they will connect with potential employers through Green Flower’s network reserved for students on the program.
Further details, including registration, can be found here.
BCC also plans to host a virtual information session on March 27 at 2 p.m
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