You’d think
growing a weed, which marijuana has been, would be easy.
But training
courses will be on offer next year at College communautaire du
Nouveau-Brunswick.
"The training has
been designed in collaboration with industry leaders to train skilled workers
capable of working in the highly-regulated medical marijuana industry," reports Canadian Press.
Michel Doucet,
executive director of continuing education and customized learning, says the
school has already received interest from people keen on working in the
marijuana industry, but warns that the program is not intended for hobbyists.
"People
think that you grow the plant and leave with it, bring it home. No, absolutely
not," Doucet says. "They don't ingest it, they grow it ... This is a
secure environment. You don't just walk in and say, 'I want a job at a medical
marijuana facility.'"
Much of the
learning will take place outside the classroom, Doucet says.
The school is
teaming up with industry partners to ensure that students gain technical
experience in licensed facilities by being involved in the day-to-day care of
the plants under the supervision of senior employees.
The CEO of
International Herbs Medical Marijuana Ltd, which operates Zenabis, a medical
marijuana company in Atholville, N.B., says producers across the country have
had trouble finding qualified, educated workers.
Kevin Coft says
Zenabis, along with two other licensed producers, have been working with the
Canadian National Medical Marijuana Association and the New Brunswick school to
develop a curriculum based on a similar program in British Columbia that offers
apprenticeships and the skills to work at any facility as well as opportunities
to specialize.
"You're
talking about an industry that is coming out of a veiled curtain," Coft
says. "This is an industry with a problem right now trying to find
qualified people."
The New
Brunswick government has backed Zenabis with $4 million in funding based on the
company's projection to create up to 208 jobs in the province.
Premier Brian
Gallant has also announced $1 million in potential funding for OrganiGram, one
of 30 producers licensed by Health Canada to produce medical marijuana.
Denis
Arsenault, CEO of the Moncton-based marijuana company, said it will be adding
about 100 new jobs in the next year to 16 months.
He hopes some
of them will be awarded to graduates of the New Brunswick college's program.
