The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development is partnering with Rowan University, local labor unions and a South Jersey cannabis cultivator to launch one of the nation’s first apprenticeship programs dedicated to equipping entrepreneurs with the skills needed to establish themselves in the state’s legalized cannabis marketplace.

As part of the newly created Cannabis Apprenticeship Training Initiative, the NJDOL committed $325,000 to develop a curriculum that provides industry-specific training as a way to build pathways for employees, particularly those in marginalized communities, according to a Dec. 20 press release from Rowan. 

While Rowan will coordinate all activities and develop education and training curricula for the retail program, the university will come up with subsequent apprenticeships for cultivation, manufacturing and distribution of cannabis in concert with Rowan College of South Jersey. That school will also oversee enrollment; track training; provide recruitment; ensure retention; and offer basic skills training, assessments and industry-recognized credentials for adult learners.

According to Rowan University, Loud Wellness Inc. will give apprentices hands-on learning opportunities and technical instruction at the cannabis company’s cultivation and manufacturing facility in Glassboro.

Rowan University President Ali Houshmand said, “Through this partnership, we will develop degrees, from pre-apprenticeship through graduate degrees, for citizens who will be poised to make an immediate impact on the cannabis retail industry. We will work with our partners to meet the needs of employers while providing pathways to sustainable employment opportunities.”

The launch comes eight months after Rowan University began offering the nation’s first Master of Business Administration (MBA) in cannabis commercialization, providing business-focused coursework designed to meet the emerging and evolving needs of the new industry.

For its part, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 360 will import the curriculum into its learning management system. UFCW Local 360, along with the AFL-CIO, will also provide coordinator services and ongoing program development, as well as participate in recruitment and retention and development of employer relationships.

The Gloucester County Workforce Development Board will also provide outreach to targeted populations while working on recruitment, apprentice onboarding and training, according to the university.

“With both medical and recreational cannabis now legal in our state, organized labor looks forward to partnering with academia, business and government to craft a program to ensure the best trained workforce and quality jobs are the standard in the cannabis industry,” said Charles Wowkanech, president of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO. “New Jersey leads our nation on so many different worker training initiatives and I recognize the efforts of the Murphy administration in doing that yet again in the cannabis industry.”

Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development Robert Asaro-Angelo said, “NJDOL is proud to partner with Rowan University and other stakeholders to ensure that the expanding cannabis industry has the skilled workers it needs to grow and thrive, and, significantly, to invest in this equitable education and training program so the cannabis workforce is inclusive and diverse.”