Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced today the launch of the Cannabis Workforce Development Program, the first workforce development initiative developed and administered by a cannabis regulatory agency in the nation.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore (Photo credit: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images).
“This groundbreaking collaboration will support Marylanders interested in joining the state’s growing cannabis industry and prioritize individuals and communities directly impacted by the War on Drugs,” said Governor Moore. “For decades, cannabis policy has been used as a cudgel. Together, we prove how cannabis policy can be used as a valuable tool to leave no one behind.”
The new program will prioritize individuals with a history of cannabis-related offenses, and it will be offered free of charge to eligible applicants. The program is a joint partnership between the Maryland Cannabis Administration and the Maryland Department of Labor’s Employment Advancement Right Now (EARN) Program. The program will help reduce barriers to employment and create paths to sustainable jobs in the cannabis industry. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis starting July 1.
“Maryland is leading on cannabis reform and reinforcing that legalization must be accompanied by efforts to address the burdens of criminalization,” said Maryland Cannabis Administration Director Will Tilburg. “Through this program, individuals adversely impacted by cannabis criminalization will be able to receive real-time, hands-on experience and access to job placement.”
Participants in the program will have access to eight self-paced courses led by instructors, including industry experts, licensed operators, and college professors. After completing 100 cumulative hours of virtual coursework, participants can enroll in a two-day intensive in-person course that offers 16 hours of hands-on training. This in-person training will be available monthly starting November 2024 at various locations across the state.
Anticipated locations and dates for the initial roll-out of the Cannabis Workforce Development Program include:
- November 2024: Baltimore Region
- December 2024: Anne Arundel County
- January 2025: Southern Region
- February 2025: Prince George’s County
- March 2025: Eastern Region
- April 2025: Western Region
“EARN promotes jobs and economic growth in Maryland, and the cannabis industry offers opportunities for entrepreneurs and career seekers,” said Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu. “We wanted to prioritize that opportunity for residents who have been limited in the past by a prior cannabis-related conviction.”
In addition to receiving a grant award of $122,000 from EARN to jumpstart the program, the Maryland Cannabis Administration has secured partnerships with several licensed cannabis operators and two institutions of higher education with longstanding and celebrated records of innovative cannabis industry education and workforce development: Anne Arundel Community College and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
