Governor Moore Announces Cannabis Industry Workforce Development Program

HAGERSTOWN, MD (June 28, 2024) The Washington County Department of Business and Economic Development is excited to announce a groundbreaking initiative led by Governor Wes Moore: the launch of the Workforce Development Program in the cannabis field. This pioneering effort, the first of its kind administered by a nationwide cannabis regulatory agency, aims to help Marylanders enter the growing cannabis industry. The program prioritizes individuals with prior cannabis offenses, which aligns with Governor Moore’s recent historic pardon of more than 175,000 of these charges.

Please read below and remember to contact Linda Spence, Business Specialist at the Department of Business and Economic Development at (email protected) or by phone at 240-313-2286 if you have additional questions.

###

ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 27, 2024) — Governor Wes Moore today announced the launch of the Cannabis Workforce Development Program, the first workforce development initiative developed and administered by a cannabis regulatory agency in the nation. The program, which will prioritize individuals with a history of cannabis offenses, comes after Governor Moore granted historic pardons for more than 175,000 cannabis-related charges last Monday.

“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 are proving how cannabis policy can be used as a valuable tool to leave no one behind.”

The Cannabis Workforce Development Program – which will be offered at no cost to eligible applicants – is a joint partnership with 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 pathways to sustainable jobs in the cannabis industry. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis starting July 1.

“Maryland is at the forefront of cannabis reform and emphasizes that legalization must be accompanied by efforts to address issues of criminalization,” said Maryland Cannabis Administration Director Will Tilburg. “Through this program, individuals impacted by cannabis criminalization will be able to benefit from real-time, hands-on experience and access to employment.”

Program participants will have access to eight instructor-led, self-paced courses delivered by industry experts, licensed operators, and university professors. After completing 100 cumulative hours of virtual coursework and instruction, participants can enroll in a two-day, in-person intensive course that provides 16 hours of hands-on professional training. In-person training will be offered once a month beginning in November 2024 at locations across the state.

Locations and dates planned for the initial rollout of the Cannabis Sector Workforce Development Program include:

November 2024: Baltimore area
December 2024: Anne Arundel County
January 2025: Southern Region
February 2025: Prince George County
March 2025: Eastern Region
April 2025: Western Region

“EARN promotes jobs and economic growth in Maryland, and the cannabis industry provides opportunities for entrepreneurs and career seekers,” said Portia Wu, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor. “We wanted to prioritize this opportunity for residents who have been limited in the past by a prior cannabis-related conviction. »

In addition to receiving a $122,000 grant from EARN to launch the program, the Maryland Cannabis Administration has partnered with several licensed cannabis operators and two higher education institutions with a long history and reputation for innovative cannabis industry education and workforce development: Anne Arundel Community College and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

To learn more about the program, visit www.cannabis.maryland.gov.

###