​The Maryland Cannabis Administration's Workforce Development Program

• ​​​The Maryland Cannabis Administration's (MCA) Workforce Development Program, a partnership between MCA and EARN Maryland, provides a cumulative 30 hours of virtual and 16 in-person training for retail, processing and cultivation careers across Maryland's fast growing cannabis industry. Participants will have access to eight instructor-led self-paced courses taught by industry experts, licensed operators and college professors. After completing the virtual academy, participants may enroll in a two day in-person course providing 16 hours of hands-on occupational training.
• The MCA Workforce Development Program is currently at capacity for in-person training. You may still apply and gain access to the Workforce Development Virtual Academy. The next in-person training cycle will commence in September 2025.

​About the MCA Workforce Development Program

• The Maryland Cannabis Administration's Workforce Development Program is completely free, with priority consideration for applicants with a history of cannabis related justice system involvement.
• In addition to receiving a grant award of $122, 000 from the Maryland Department of Labor's EARN program, MCA has secured partnerships with some of Maryland's largest licensed cannabis business operators as well as two institutions of higher education with longstanding and celebrated records of innovative cannabis industry education and workforce development: Anne Arundel Community College and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
• The mission of MCA's Workforce Development program is to create paths to sustainable jobs in the cannabis industry, reduce barriers to employment, and encourage mobility for Maryland's most hard-to-serve jobseekers.
• This program is designed to provide virtual and in-person job training for retail, processing and cultivation careers across Maryland's fast growing cannabis industry.
• The MCA Workforce Development Program is presented in phases. First, participants will complete 30 hours of online coursework, followed by a two-day, in-person training session. Once all coursework is completed, participants will be issued a completion certificate. Those with a completion certificate will become eligible to be placed in internship programs with one of MCA's industry employment partners.
• Job placement opportunities will be offered throughout the program. If a participant is selected, enrolled, and completes the Virtual Academy, they will receive free Responsible Vendor Training, Badging, and Fingerprinting​ Services.

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