ST. CLOUD, Minn. — Marijuana has now been legal in Minnesota for a little over a month. Retail sales could still be years away, but St. Cloud State University is getting people ready to work in the industry now.
It's the first school in the state to offer a cannabis education program.
"We thought to ourselves, how can we be innovative," said the school's Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) Executive Director Abram Hedtke. "How can St. Cloud State take a bold approach in an area that is brand new in Minnesota?"
PACE is partnering with California-based cannabis education company Green Flower to deliver the content entirely online. The non-credit certificate programs are available to anyone over the age of 18.
"We need to have educational opportunities for anyone at any level to take the necessary steps to be successful," said Hedtke.
This is an exclusive partnership that has been months in the making as the school continues to experience an enrollment drop. So much that it's facing a $24 million deficit, cutting dozens of degree programs and some professor jobs.
Hedtke hopes this new opportunity draws more people back to school, while Green Flower reports the first class at St. Cloud is one of the biggest in its history, tripling the school's enrollment goals.
"I believe it’s a really great time for people to take this seriously and get the training and education they need to be a successful part of this upcoming industry," said Green Flower CEO Max Simon.
The topics that will be covered include Cannabis Agriculture and Horticulture, Cannabis Compliance and Risk Management, the Business of Cannabis and Cannabis Healthcare and Medicine. Each certificate program takes about six months to complete and students can work at their own pace throughout each week.
Green Flower started in 2014 and is partnering with 25 other universities across the country, leaning on 700 industry experts.
Simon said it builds workforce development and brings legitimacy to an industry, despite retail sales in Minnesota not expected to start until 2025.
"The programs are designed to be on-ramps for people transitioning into the cannabis industry from other sectors," said Simon. "It’s a very exciting and passionate industry to work inside of."
"Education is changing," said Hedtke. "We're going to change with it and this is one of the opportunities."
Already about 70 people signed up for the first round of classes that start September 11, but people can continue to register until September 15. The next round of classes start on November 6. For more information, visit https://cannabiseducation.stcloudstate.edu.
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