How higher education is embracing legal cannabis

As the labor-intensive cannabis industry matures, colleges and universities across the country are adapting to meet the demand for a skilled and knowledgeable workforce.

With the national industry supporting an estimated 425,000 full-time jobs, higher education institutions are launching programs to prepare students for careers in cultivation, retail, compliance, product development and medical applications.

And cannabis education is no longer a niche offering. Schools across the country offer courses designed specifically for careers in the marijuana industry.

Training for every sector of the cannabis industry

Nationwide, cannabis education and workforce development company Green Flower has partnerships with 45 colleges and universities to deliver cannabis certification programs. So far, as many as 10,000 students have earned certificates through Green Flower programs.

University of New England in Maine is among the institutions that are offering certificates in cannabis through Green Flower.

Ed Cervone, UNE’s director of strategic partnerships and external relations, said the cost and effort it would take to create a cannabis curriculum from scratch made partnering with Green Flower a no-brainer.

“They offer their training, and we advertise it to our market,” Cervone said.

“They have the subject matter expertise. The industry is changing in terms of what are the needs today versus a year ago. They change their learning modules to meet the current market.”

Green Flower CEO Max Simon said people entering the cannabis industry come from diverse backgrounds.

“Seventy percent of our students are coming from other industries, using our programs as a way to break into cannabis,” he said. “The remaining 30% are employees looking to skill up for better roles.

“We’ve built programs that cover every major sector of the industry, from cultivation and compliance to retail and medical applications.”

Building a talent pipeline for the cannabis industry

At the University of New England, students can choose from eight- or 16-week certificate programs covering cultivation, product development compliance, retail and sales or medical cannabis.

Cannabis education programs are often tailored to the unique needs of their local markets.

In Maine, where cannabis is fully legal, UNE’s online certificate programs are designed to support the state’s cultivation, retail and medical operations.

“Cannabis is a hyper-localized industry,” Simon said.

“Each state has its own regulations and market dynamics, so education programs need to be adaptable. That’s why we work with subject-matter experts from across the country to ensure our curriculum provides real value.”

Green Flower also recently launched its Cannabis Career Resource Center, providing graduates of its certification programs with continuing education, resume writing assistance and access to an employer network that includes companies like Curaleaf and iAnthus.

Companies in the resource center network have access to a growing pipeline of people who have been trained through Green Flower’s education programs or its Ganjier cannabis sommelier program.

A commitment to workforce development

Richard Proud, CEO of cannabis MSO iAnthus, said education is critical to creating a well-prepared workforce.

The New York- and Toronto-headquartered company is currently putting 150 employees through training to ensure they’re equipped with foundational knowledge about cultivation, manufacturing and retail.

Green Flower training programs will eventually become part of iAnthus’s onboarding process.

“Our goal is to make education front and center so our team can engage with consumers on a deeper level,” Proud said. “Whether it’s understanding the nuances of cultivation or the differences between high-quality flower, education is key to elevating the customer experience.”

iAnthus also collaborates with Green Flower to identify and recruit candidates who have completed cannabis certification programs through universities – the company even has a space on its employment application to indicate whether candidates have earned certificates.

“They’ll refer candidates to us so we can engage with them early on – it’s a new avenue for students to gain employment,” Proud said.

Blending business acumen with cannabis expertise

Rather than partnering with a cannabis education company like Green Flower, Metropolitan State University of Denver created its own program, which is offered through the School of Hospitality.

Guided by an advisory board with representatives from 20 Colorado cannabis companies, the program blends academic rigor with real-world relevance, offering pathways into cannabis hospitality, compliance and entrepreneurship.

Shannon Donnelly, the professor overseeing the program, emphasizes the importance of blending traditional business skills with cannabis-specific knowledge.

“We’re not just teaching students about the plant,” she said. “Our programs cover the entire supply chain, sales and marketing. This sets our students up for long-term success in the industry.”

MSU’s offerings include for-credit business classes as well as self-paced, online courses accessible to students worldwide.

With a focus on equity, workforce readiness and experiential learning, MSU Denver’s approach is rooted in hospitality and addresses consumer-facing roles and operational excellence.

“We’re creating pathways for students, including those harmed by the war on drugs, to build meaningful careers in cannabis,” Donnelly said.

Margaret Jackson can be reached at margaret.jackson@mjbizdaily.com.