By Sofia Schlegelmilch | Assistant Editor
Photo by Betsabee Torres
As the legal marijuana industry in Massachusetts expands, students can now prepare themselves for careers in cannabis with online cannabis education training courses.
MWCC has partnered with the Online Cannabis Education program to offer students the opportunity to train for positions in the cannabis industry.
According to Rachel Frick Cardelle, Vice President of Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development, the school’s attention was first drawn to marijuana industry education when a member of Online Cannabis Education’s staff contacted MWCC about a partnership. Frick Cardelle said that by that time, the college had already been approached by several employers from newly-opened cannabis facilities in Fitchburg who were looking for trained employees.
“They’re like any employer; they want an educated workforce,” she said. “This curriculum particularly struck us as being serious and useful for people to be educated about this and get real skills. This is an industry-related need that we’re going to fill.”
Frick Cardelle also said that she anticipated there would be some objections to the addition of the program, but there were none.
These online non-credit courses have been offered for about two years. Frick Cardelle said enrollment has been steadily increasing since they were introduced, with 37 new enrollments in 2018 as of September. Currently, the program is available to students for the cost of $249 for twelve months of unlimited access. Enrollment is not limited to residents of Massachusetts, though specific residency data on the current MWCC participants was not available.
The Online Cannabis Education curriculum consists of video instruction, e-books, quizzes, and a 250-question master exam. Learning is self-paced, with most students completing the program in “a few months,” according to the Online Cannabis Education website. Lessons cover topics such as “How to Grow Medical Marijuana,” “How to Cook with Marijuana,” “How to Open a Dispensary & Delivery Service,” and “Medical Marijuana Laws and Regulations,” among others.
Students who complete the program will finish with 9 separate certifications, each representing one of the topics around which the curriculum is structured.
Certifications are “widely accepted at many cannabis businesses throughout the USA, Canada, Australia, Spain, and other countries as well,” according to the program’s website.
Access to industry-specific job boards is also provided to students enrolled in the program through the OCE website, and Frick Cardelle said that like any student, those enrolled in the cannabis career training program can use MWCC’s career services for assistance finding employment.
While MWCC does not currently offer any college credit courses specific to the cannabis industry, Frick Cardelle commented that “a lot of the skills that would make you a good botanist or a good chemist would be applicable to this industry.”
She also noted that business, marketing, or sales skills are just as applicable to the cannabis industry as to any other. “I wouldn’t be surprised if further down the line there is more specialization,” she added.
Students interested in learning more about the cannabis career training program can visit www.OnlineCannabisEducation.com/mt-wachusett-community-college or contact MWCC’s Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development department for more information.
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