West Windsor – Interested in opening a cannabis dispensary or getting in on the ground floor of the industry? Mercer County Community College's Division of Lifelong Learning can help! Career opportunities are on the rise and the college is now accepting students in one of its latest health professions programs: Medical Cannabis Training. 

The 15-hour non-credit class includes five sessions that run Monday evenings 6 to 9 p.m. from November 7 through December 5 on the Zoom online conferencing platform. Anyone age 18 and over may enroll. The course will be offered through MCCC’s Center for Continuing Studies and students will receive a certificate upon completion. To help increase access to industry training, a number of scholarships funded by the New Jersey Cannabis Trade Association are available.

Medical Cannabis Training is intended for anyone interested in seeking employment in the cannabis profession or curious about this budding industry in New Jersey.

“There is a real need for business owners to fill jobs and this course helps provide the first steps toward gaining a foothold in this emerging industry,” explained Sarah Trent, course instructor and owner of Valley Wellness, a newly permitted medical dispensary in Somerset County. “The program is designed to help individuals hit the ground running on the first day on the job – whether that is in the dispensary, cultivation site, testing lab or ancillary business,” she notes. “Many different industries ‘touch’ the cannabis plant, so I always tell those looking to break into the industry to take what you are already good at and see how it can relate to cannabis.”

The course will introduce students to this highly regulated field. Subject matter experts will cover federal and state laws, the endocannabinoid system, cultivation basics, manufactured products and testing and dispensary technician training techniques such as dosing, administration and compliance.

According to Trent, Mercer County Community College's cannabis courses have been popular over the past few semesters, but now the industry is really taking off, and businesses are in need of a workforce with an understanding of the industry.

Dr. Gonzalo Perez, dean of the Continuing Studies Division at Mercer County Community College commented, “The demand in New Jersey continues to grow for a skilled health professions workforce and the future is very bright for careers in this burgeoning industry. We are pleased to offer this program to the community.”   

The cost for the five-session live virtual course is $500. Anyone interested in scholarships must meet income qualifications and fill out the application at mccc.edu/cannabis in order to be considered. Scholarship recipients are guaranteed an interview with a cannabis business in New Jersey upon completion of the course and receiving the certificate. In addition, tuition will be sponsored for up to five veterans who complete the course. 

For more information or to enroll visit mccc.edu/cannabis, email comed@mccc.edu or call 609-570-3311. 

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Mercer County Community College Division of Lifelong Learning will offer its "Medical Cannabis Training" class beginning Nov. 7, 2022. This 15-hour class runs Monday evenings for five weeks and is intended for anyone looking to enter the medical adult-use cannabis labor market or those curious about the industry. For more information or to enroll visit mccc.edu/cannabis or call 609-570-3311.