In New Mexico, the Cannabis Regulation Act took effect in late June. The act makes recreational marijuana legal in the state. That means big growth is coming to that industry – and potentially big labor shortages.

CNM Ingenuity, the enterprise arm of Central New Mexico Community College, is launching a new online program specifically designed to meet New Mexico’s mandated training requirements for cannabis industry employees and employers. CNMI has partnered with SeedCrest, a New Mexico-based cannabis curriculum provider, to offer the Cannabis Establishment Technician (CET) Certificate program.

The 40-hour CET online program, which meets the state-mandated training requirement to work in the cannabis industry, will train job seekers on state rules, regulations, safety protocols, ethics and more. Graduates of the program will be qualified to help meet workforce demand.

“One of our primary functions at CNM Ingenuity is to support our economy’s workforce needs by creating and delivering accelerated training programs that produce a pipeline of skilled workers for our state’s growing industries,” said CNM Ingenuity’s Mary Gallivan, senior director of program management, in a release. “As the cannabis industry prepares for major expansion in 2022, there will be very high demand for a well-trained and professional workforce that fully understands the obligations of working in this industry. Through this training that we’ll deliver in partnership with SeedCrest, we’ll help ensure that this important new industry in New Mexico has the skilled and responsible workforce it needs to be successful.”

The CET certificate not only supports the industry but it also serves the public.

As the recreational cannabis industry launches in 2022, training standards, industry knowledge, professionalism and compliance with all state laws will become more and more important. This curriculum focuses specifically on New Mexico’s policies and industry terminology, as well as training on community responsibility, ethics, safety, security and research, all of which help to mitigate risk.

SeedCrest is known for helping job seekers navigate state licensing systems to find employment and for helping cannabis establishments find the best trained talent.

“This new partnership will allow us to work with CNMI to enhance the student experience by offering cannabis career advice, networking, and actual interviews for jobs,” said SeedCrest Founder Shanon Jaramillo.