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University of Denver to Offer Three New Cannabis Certificate Programs

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Colleges around the United States are moving to include cannabis curriculum and certifications as the legal medical and recreational market continues to boom. The University of Denver’s Center for Professional Development is partnering with cannabis education company Green Flower to offer three non-credit cannabis certificate programs, according to a Green Flower news release.

The programs aim to help provide a skilled workforce to the fast-growing industry. Each course is online and self-paced to help meet the needs of all adults taking them.

The Business of Cannabis will have students developing critical business skills like risk analysis, scaling operations and regulatory compliance, viewing cannabis with a “well-informed and entrepreneurial mindset.” Cannabis Healthcare and Medicine aims to advance students’ knowledge and practice of cannabis for healthcare providers, helping people to meaningfully engage with potential patient needs and support. In Cannabis Agriculture and Horticulture, students learn how to care for cannabis plants, study cannabis botany and genetics and explore plant growth techniques, along with electing students to specialize in the indoor or outdoor grow track, with immersive learning opportunities to work hands-on with plants.

The release notes the necessity for these programs in Colorado, the first state to legalize recreational cannabis and a leader in industry growth. The state reported $1.77 billion in cannabis sales and 34,700 cannabis-related jobs in 2020, and the release notes that legal cannabis worker jobs are projected to grow by 250 percent by 2028, outpacing other fast-growing careers.

Because of the rapid growth, there is increased demand for skilled workers in a variety of industry aspects, which is where the University of Denver cannabis certificates come in.

“We are delighted to offer robust cannabis education in partnership with Green Flower, a leader in cannabis education that has worked with universities across the nation,” said Renae Jacob, executive director of the Center for Professional Development at the University of Denver. Jacob carried on to extend a welcome to new students and nodded to the DU environment that helps to professionally prepare to make an impact in an industry Colorado excels.

“The cannabis industry is constantly and quickly evolving, and we are thrilled to provide quality, relevant training for those who want solid careers in the industry or to become better informed about the field in general. We will also be integrating curriculum on social equity in the industry to educate students about the impact cannabis legalization has on communities and people of color,” Jacob said.

The certificates each include three, eight-week online courses that participants can complete in approximately six months. Once students complete the program, they receive a certificate from the University of Denver and benefit from connections in the state’s industry and cannabis professionals in Green Flower’s nationwide employment network.

Green Flower was founded in 2014 as an industry leader in cannabis education and helping to empower thousands of consumers, regulators and professionals with knowledge to succeed in the emerging, ever-changing industry. Green Flower works to power cannabis programs of other top universities and colleges across the country alongside DU. It also provides customized learning and compliance solutions for cannabis businesses of all sizes, with the overall aim of  equipping people with the skills and credentials to make an impact in the industry.

Green Flower CEO Max Simon also nodded to Colorado specifically when referencing the new certification programs:

“Seeing as Colorado was the very first state to boldly legalize cannabis for all adults, it feels particularly powerful that the most respected and highly ranked university in the state is now on-board to help develop the industry by training the next generation of cannabis professionals,” Simon said.

Registration for the classes is currently open, with the courses beginning March 7, 2022. Learn more at the University of Denver website.