Cannabis Career Institute Launches New Online Training Initiative

The Cannabis Career Institute has announced its new training platform called CCI Online and the release of its first course, a professional certification for Budtenders. Designed to address a chronic shortage of a skilled workforce in the booming Cannabis industry, CCI is overcoming today’s limitations on in-person training by bringing engaging and relevant courses through its new CCI Online venture. CCI Online will be including skills certification for each of its courses, designed to become the industry standard for growing, harvesting and commercializing this once controversial plant.

Cannabis Career Institute was founded in 2009 and has been helping the once fledgling industry through workshops, seminars and consulting services. Founder Robert F. Calkin is a lifelong advocate of cannabis legalization and medical marijuana and envisions CCI Online as a powerful force in normalizing the industry. Calkin founded Cannabis Career Institute to provide a support system for people trying to start their own medical marijuana businesses, creating a curriculum focusing specifically on compliance and how to create and market brands. This vision of CCI Online is to move these enterprises into commercial scale.

To produce the courses, assessments and credentials, CCI has turned to AgTechEDGE, a pioneer in the use of adaptive learning for all types of indoor growing.

“The partnership to develop credible assessments for the cannabis industry is critically needed today,” said Dr. Sue Raftery, the founder and CEO of AgTechEDGE. “Regulators have rushed to license people and companies, but these licenses are more focused on integrity than they are about competency. The Cannabis industry is flooded with newcomers, many who have never grown, packaged or sold a plant-based product. Regulation implies that product is inspected and meets agricultural quality standards, yet none exist today. AgTechEDGE is happy to begin the process of having qualified, skilled workforce behind the myriad of products being developed from Cannabis and Hemp plants.”

The announcement of the CCI Online partnership includes the release of their first course and a certification for Budtender. A Budtender works within a retail outlet/dispensary in which cannabis products are sold. As the “salesperson,” Budtenders answer questions, showcase products and offer suggestions to customers. Graduates of CCI Online’s Budtender course will be expected to master learning objectives tied to cannabis products, cannabis chemistry and therapeutic effects.

“It is our goal to instill public trust in cannabis through effective courses and resulting professional certifications and the Budtender is the most logical place to start,” said CCI Online’s Calkin. “From here, we expect a series of courses, assessments and certifications to expand into the growing facilities.”

To register, visit cannabiscareerinstitute.online.