Cannabis diploma? Canadian college now offers full-year pot production program

The expected boom in the cannabis industry is sure to create more jobs, and those who want to make a career in this sector can now have an added credential through Canada’s cannabis postgraduate program.

The Niagara College in Ontario is the first school to offer a comprehensive cannabis program for students, per CBC News, although there are already similar programs in the country. It is a full-year cannabis production program that includes relevant subjects such as plant selection, plant nutrition, pest control and climate control.

Throughout the course, students will have extensive hands-on training in growing pot. The program will also incorporate courses about cannabis regulations in Canada, and students will be in a supervised internship at a cannabis producer in the area upon the end of the program.

With over 100 cannabis producers that are already in Canada, graduates of the said cannabis program can immediately work with them. There are a lot of opportunities for the graduates as there are plenty of hemp farms in the Niagara region alone. Presently, there are more than 1.8 million square feet of greenhouse area devoted to marijuana production.

Currently, there were only 24 slots in the cannabis program of Niagara College, and over 300 people applied—making it a very competitive program. Most of the students, aged between 21 and 54, that were admitted left full-time jobs to focus on the program.

These students realize the opportunities they could get as they are few of the pioneers to have an actual academic certificate in cannabis production. Elizabeth Foley, one of the students of the program, said that “all the licensed producers will know that I’m a professional, skilled worker who knows what she’s going to be doing when I get in the door of their facility.”

Legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada

Canadian government passed a bill in June which legalizes recreational use of marijuana nationwide, effective on Oct. 17. Although the regulations on recreational marijuana will be amended, the system that is currently in place for medicinal marijuana will remain the same.

Canada is just the second country to make a move such as this involving recreational marijuana. This may be one of the reasons why cannabis programs in colleges, starting with Niagara College, may become more popular in the country in the next few years.

The number of cannabis producers in Canada is expected to increase as the country implements few of the most flexible regulations toward marijuana. Consequently, there would be an increased demand in manpower, requiring people that already have knowledge in growing such plants.

Companies like PotNetwork Holdings, Inc. (OTCMKTS:POTN), which is also based in North America, employ health professionals and industry leaders in order to develop cannabis-based products that are perfectly safe for consumers. POTN boasts of having such team members that have actual knowledge and experience in the field, from production to quality assurance to distribution of premium products.

With more people becoming professional in the field of cannabis, it would be easier for companies like POTN to source high-quality cannabis supply given that most farms would employ graduates of cannabis programs. A diploma such as the one offered by Niagara College would definitely be a good credential to have.

(Featured image by DepositPhotos)

—

DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our disclaimer for more information.

This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these important disclosures.