Camosun College is sparking up interest in education to support the medical cannabis and emerging legalized cannabis industries.
Camosun has launched the course Growing Cannabis for Professionals, which is available online through continuing education. The first course, which runs May 7 to June 15 with no pre-requisites, will educate people who want to enter the budding industry.
“In-depth knowledge of how quality product is grown in the highly regulated environment of licenced producers will help Camosun graduates set themselves apart from those without formal training,” said Valerie Montague, continuing education program co-ordinator.
Camosun’s course will be taught by instructor Travis Lane, a respected local organic, living-soil-based cultivator. As a founding director of the B.C. Independent Cannabis Association and partner in a government relations firm, Lane has widespread industry connections. With consultation clients that include ACMPR (Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations) applicants and aspiring micro-cultivators, he maintains his network on both sides of the cannabis industry in B.C.
“The importance of education and training can not be overstated for people looking to participate in a maturing, competitive cannabis marketplace,” said Lane. “This introductory course will provide students with an overview of the skills required to cultivate cannabis and introduce them to the industrial production protocols that are necessary under the current regulations.”
B.C. currently has 22 licensed producers of medical cannabis, with five major players here on Vancouver Island. Weed through an online job search and you’ll spot openings in supply chain management, human resources, quality assurance, growing, irrigation and more. Last April the federal government introduced legislation to add recreational access to cannabis.
As B.C. inches towards new setting the regulations for this addition, stakeholders are bracing for a wave of high demand and industry is gearing up to meet it. Industry salaries for professional positions typically garner between $40,000 and $100,000 or more. According to a 2017 Stats Canada report on self-reported cannabis consumption, Canadians consumed 697.5 tonnes of cannabis in 2015, when non-medical use was not available legally, representing an estimated value of $5 billion to $6.2 billion.
To find out how you can develop a career in this newly recognized industry, visit camosun.ca/ce.