The cannabis industry in Oklahoma is exploding as we speak. Ranking ninth in the country for the number of jobs the industry supports, according to Leafly's recent jobs report, which showed the industry employs more than 16,000 residents - that is to say, there are more cannabis workers in Oklahoma than construction workers.
Oklahoma, where voters legalized medical marijuana in 2018, has been called one of the fastest-growing cannabis markets in the US. In 2021, the medical cannabis market generated about $150 million in revenue.
To help keep pace with this new line of work and meet the need for skilled employees, Tulsa Community College (TCC), in partnership with Green Flower, is offering specialized training.
Through TCC Continuing Education, individuals can complete three job-specific certificate programs – Dispensary Associate, Cultivation Technician, and Manufacturing Agent. The program is offered with an online, on-demand schedule, which means the individual can complete the coursework at a time that is convenient to them and at their own pace.
"With unprecedented growth in this industry, there is a need to develop a workforce with cannabis specific skills. TCC has joined forces with Green Flower to deliver this highly specialized content virtually," said Pete Selden, VP for Workforce Development at TCC.
TCC is the first and only college in Oklahoma to offer this type of training through its partnership with Green Flower, a leader in cannabis training and education. The three certificates provide on-demand training created specifically for cannabis professionals.
"We applaud TCC's commitment to helping working adults advance and train for new careers and their vision to help students enter and excel in the legal cannabis industry," said Daniel Kalef, vice president of education at Green Flower. "Like other highly regulated industries, the need to have expertise in material handling, quality control, patient care, security, transportation, horticulture and more is vital to the success of all aspects of the industry and all things people will learn in these courses."
The certificate programs launch on March 1. For more information or to register for the program, visit cannabisstudies.tulsacc.edu.
