HAGERSTOWN, MD (June 28, 2024) The Washington County Business and Economic Development Agency is pleased to announce the launch of the Cannabis Workforce Development Program, a groundbreaking initiative spearheaded by Governor Wes Moore. This pioneering initiative is the first of its kind in the nation administered by a cannabis regulatory agency and is designed to assist Marylanders entering the expanding cannabis industry. The program prioritizes individuals with cannabis-related criminal histories and coincides with Governor Moore's recent historic pardons of over 175,000 similar suspects.
Please read the information below and contact Linda Spence, Business Specialist in the Department of Business and Economic Development. [email protected] If you have any additional questions, please call us at 240-313-2286.
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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 regulator in the nation. The program, which will prioritize individuals with cannabis-related criminal histories, comes on the heels of Governor Moore’s historic pardons of more than 175,000 cannabis-related charges last Monday.
“This groundbreaking collaboration will support Marylanders interested in participating in our 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 will demonstrate how cannabis policy can be used as a valuable tool to ensure no one is left behind.”
The Cannabis Workforce Development Program, which is available at no cost to qualified applicants, is a collaborative partnership between the Maryland Bureau of Cannabis Control and the Maryland Department of Labor's Employment Advancement Right Now (EARN) program. The program helps reduce barriers to employment and paves the way for sustainable employment in the cannabis industry. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis beginning July 1.
“Maryland is leading the way on cannabis reform, emphasizing that legalization must be accompanied by efforts to address the burdens of criminalization,” said Maryland Office of Cannabis Control Director Will Tilberg. “Through this program, individuals who have been negatively impacted by cannabis criminalization will have access to real-time, hands-on experience and job opportunities.”
Program participants will have access to eight instructor-led, self-paced courses taught by industry experts, certified operators and university professors. Upon completing a total of 100 hours of virtual coursework and instruction, participants can enroll in an intensive, two-day in-person course that provides 16 hours of hands-on job training. The in-person training will be offered once a month at various locations across the state beginning in November 2024.
The locations and dates for the initial cannabis workforce development program rollout are as follows:
- November 2024: Baltimore area
- 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 provides opportunities for entrepreneurs and job seekers,” said Maryland Department of Labor Commissioner Portia Wu. “We wanted to prioritize those opportunities for residents who have been limited by past cannabis-related convictions.”
The Maryland Bureau of Cannabis Control received a $122,000 grant from EARN to launch the program and has secured partnerships with several licensed cannabis businesses and two higher education institutions with long-standing reputations for innovative cannabis industry education and workforce development: Anne Arundel Community College and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
For more information about the program, visit www.cannabis.maryland.gov.
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