Cannabis Job training offered through Community College

PATERSON - A training program at Passaic County Community College is now accepting any student eager to get a foot in the door of the cannabis field.

The program does not begin until the spring, but space is limited.

The certification course is administered by the county Division of Economic Development and NJ Cannabis Certified, which developed the teaching material.

Sarah Trent, an attorney and founder of NJ Cannabis Certified, opened a medicinal marijuana dispensary in Somerset County in December. She will lead the program with a group of industry professionals.

The program also is offered at other campuses, including Atlantic Cape Community College, Mercer County Community College and Raritan Valley Community College.

Why should you sign up for the Cannabis Career Training Course?

A certificate from the program may give you an edge over job candidates who did not participate, Trent said.

“It’s a cool place to work,” she said of her dispensary, Valley Wellness in Raritan, which has a staff of 13. “I guess that I’m biased, but you’re never not doing something — you’re always on the move, and you’re always learning something new.”

Who are the instructors?

They are experts who really know their stuff.

Besides Trent, they include a cannabis grower, the director of a medicinal marijuana dispensary, the lead researcher of a hemp-testing lab, a registered pharmacist and a Rutgers professor of plant biology.

What will you learn in the course?

Everything from the history of cannabis to the basics of cultivation. Rules on advertising, labeling and packaging the drug will also be taught.

Part of the program will explore the body’s endocannabinoid system, which regulates appetite, mood and sleeping habits.

Is it easy to find a position in the cannabis field?

Yes, Trent said, but the job market is still “pretty competitive” because people want to work in the industry. “There are jobs posted on Indeed all the time because there are so many new businesses coming online,” she said. “There are going to be a lot of jobs.”

Most starting positions at a cannabis dispensary pay between $17 and $19 per hour, Trent said, although wages may fluctuate depending on the region of the state. Entry-level jobs at cultivation facilities may pay slightly less, she said.

What else should you know about the course?

The registration cost is $500. It will run from 6 to 9 p.m. for five consecutive Mondays — from April 3 to May 1 — on Zoom. Students must be at least 18 years old, and they must attend each session and take a quiz to earn their certificates.