St. Cloud University’s Cannabis Certification
Within just the past month that recreational cannabis has been legalized, Minnesota has become an innovator on multiple fronts in this still very young industry. For starters, the home state of Prince generated approximately $600,000 in tax revenue during the first month of sales despite the very inconvenient fact that recreational cannabis sales are only permitted on tribal territories. Second, The Red Lake Nation tribe, who own the dispensary NativeCare, recently announced a plan to create and operate the very first mobile dispensary. This innovative plan would revolutionize the possibilities of how cannabis sales are permitted and produce a very likely lucrative stream of income.
Along with the geographic advantages that Minnesota naturally has for cannabis sales compared to their far stricter neighbor states, a public university of at least 10,000 students located in The Land of 10,000 Lakes recently announced a series of courses for Minnesotan students to receive an education about the cannabis industry and working directly in this very nascent industry. And given that there will be at least two educational semesters before the rest of Minnesota legalizes cannabis, that timeframe will give St. Cloud University, the valuable opportunity to provide a considerable number of students with quality education regarding the newest yet arguably most stigmatized industry in the country. The university also receives the honor as the first university in the state to offer cannabis industry-related courses.
“We thought to ourselves, how can we be innovative,” said the university’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?”
This certificate program hosted by PACE is in direct partnership with the cannabis education company Green Flower and all coursework will be available entirely online.
The groundbreaking educational program will discuss a wide but very important range of subjects, all of which are vital towards operating a properly compliant and successful cannabis business. Among the many topics that will be thoroughly discussed, there will be classes that focus on Cannabis Agriculture and Horticulture, Cannabis Compliance and Risk Management, the Business of Cannabis and Cannabis Healthcare and Medicine. And luckily for those wanting to get into the cannabis industry quickly, each certificate program will take approximately six months to complete and weekly assignments can be completed at whatever pace the students would like.
This educational expansion into the newest of the Legal States is just the latest of the many states offering courses taught by Green Flower’s education programs. The cannabis academy, which was founded in 2014, and is partnering with 25 other universities throughout America and includes the diverse expertise of over 700 industry experts from nearly every field of the cannabis industry.
Although the Minnesota cannabis industry is the youngest in the nation, the program at St. Cloud offers several useful programs and services for aspiring cannabis professionals. Along with a flexible schedule and a number of instructors and industry leaders, the curriculum will be very thorough and the school will provide their students with access to the GF Institute Employer Network.
“The cannabis industry is growing at an unprecedented rate and the demand for skilled professionals is higher than ever.” The PACE School website reads, “As the industry continues to expand, new opportunities are emerging in fields such as cultivation, retail, extraction, product development, and more. Joining the cannabis industry means being part of a movement that’s changing lives and creating positive change. Plus, with a wide range of positions available, from entry-level to executive roles, there’s a place for everyone in this rapidly growing industry.”
The PACE School Program is the latest version of the many ways that the Minnesota cannabis industry is preparing itself to be the strongest possible industry that it can for the full release in 2025.
