Northern Essex Community College is accepting registrations for three certificate courses related to the cannabis industry.
It is the premier community college in Northeast Massachusetts to offer professional training in the industry, offering Advanced Manufacturing Agent, Advanced Dispensary Associate Program, and Advanced Cultivation Technician Program. Classes are conducted by Green Flower of Ventura, California.
“At NECC we are committed to providing training for up-and-coming jobs and responding to the needs of local industry. We are delighted with this latest collaboration, which has spanned two years and has included many partnerships,” said Allison Dolan-Wilson, Northern Essex’s Vice President of Institutional Advancement.
Northern Essex works with cannabis companies including on-site Stem Haverhill, Happy Valley of Boston and Gloucester and on-site Salisbury Cultivation and Product Manufacturing; multi-state operators AYR Wellness and Coast Cannabis Co.; and other. These partnerships provide opportunities such as job fairs and experiential learning opportunities.
Caroline Pineau of Stamm, 124 Washington St., Haverhill. (Photo by WHAV News file.)
“Training programs for community college cannabis workers can play a critical role in this new industry by providing technical skills for those looking to explore careers in cannabis,” said Caroline Pineau, owner of Stem Haverhill. “In addition, it helps the industry by providing a skilled workforce, which is the foundation for the growth of any industry. Northern Essex Community College deserves tremendous credit for offering these programs.”
The three certificate courses in Northern Essex are offered online and last eight weeks each. Coursework is self-paced within this time frame and students can start at any time throughout the year.
All three courses start with the basics of compliance. Advanced Manufacturing Agent students then learn about cannabis processing and the manufacture of cannabis-infused products. The Advanced Cultivation Technician Program covers botany and best practices for growing and cultivating cannabis plants, and Advanced Dispensary Associate Program students learn the ins and outs of working in cannabis sales.
According to statistics from Green Flower, the cannabis industry creates an average of 280 jobs per day and now employs more than 450,000 people nationwide. However, with such rapid growth has come a shortage of well trained employees with the knowledge, skills and credibility required to operate in such a highly regulated and deeply complex industry.
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