Updated: Jun. 24, 2023, 7:26 a.m.|

Published: Jun. 22, 2023, 5:21 p.m.

The state’s largest cannabis union, UFCW Local 360, announced an application process for its apprenticeship program that’s meant to provide hands-on training for those who want to start a career in New Jersey legal weed industry as a retail employee.

Individuals can apply for the program from Friday, June 23 to July 7. The program is slated to start in the mid-August to September time period.

Much of the cannabis industry’s laws have revolved around the state licensing process, but those stores will still require retail workers and adherence to state law that requires those employers to collectively bargain in good faith with union organizations.

“Today’s cannabis workers are skilled, intelligent and ready for a long-term career,” said UFCW Local 360 Director of Organizing Hugh Giordano. “The UFCW Apprenticeship program will create new pathways for working class people, in allowing education and a paycheck, while working with an employer who believes in economic and social justice.”

The 12-week program will cover multiple aspects of functioning in a retail environment, said UFCW Local 360 Cannabis Apprentice Coordinator Freddy Herrera.

“A retail cannabis apprenticeship program is crucial in providing individuals with the necessary skills and experience to succeed in this rapidly growing industry,”he said. “It not only benefits the apprentices but also helps ensure a highly skilled and trained workforce for the future of the cannabis retail sector.”

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and candidates will be notified of acceptance after completing a skills assessment exam involving reading comprehension and arithmetic.

“The NJ Cannabis Apprentice Program is a unique partnership between UFCW Local 360, the NJ Department of Labor, the cannabis industry and higher education leaders,” said Joe Cardona, vice president for University Relations, Rowan University. “Workers will get the training needed to make NJ’s cannabis industry become a model for growth and training.”

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Source: NJ.com