An Essential Cannabis Career

How The Pandemic Made Cannabis an Essential Career Option

Cannabis Jobs

For many, it’s not only the consumption of cannabis that is making an impact in their lives, but the career opportunities and job security that present themselves as the cannabis industry expands as well. 

Aside from creating greater access to the plant, the growing industry is allowing individuals to find new careers to support themselves and their families. The creation of legal cannabis jobs is giving many a pathway to a successful career. These opportunities don’t stop at the dispensary doors. Career opportunities are opening up across the industry from entry-level to c-suite.

You will find people coming into cannabis from every type of background and experience you can think of. Food service, flight attendants, hospitality, bartending, retail, military, even former police officers who find their way into the industry in one way or another. 

The Pandemic Made Cannabis Careers an Essential Job Option. 

We all remember where we were when the Pandemic hit. If you lived in Illinois, the legalization of Adult Use cannabis sales & consumption may have made your quarantine a bit more smokey

2020 was both the year that adult use of cannabis in Illinois took off as well as the beginning of the pandemic. As many people started facing layoffs due to COVID, Medical and Adult Use cannabis sales were deemed an “Essential Business”. Budtenders, Dispensary Managers, Cultivation Agents, and more kept the cannabis industry operating mid-pandemic.

Cannabis use and adult-use sales in Illinois were skyrocketing. In the graphs below, you can see how much cannabis sales have increased month over month from the first half of 2020 to the first half of 2022.

Cannabis Demand Soars

We know that the demand for cannabis in Illinois was much larger than what the industry was prepared to handle at the time. Many dispensaries had lines around the block with customers waiting up to six to eight hours through the first month of adult-use sales. Many dispensaries had to expand, and quickly, to accommodate the number of consumers coming through, 

Personally having witnessed this, being part of a team that went from about 25 dispensing agents working out of a small facility with two registers to a 170 agent operation of one of the highest volume dispensaries operating in the state, when I say this growth was fast, I mean this growth happened within less than a year of the grand opening of adult-use sales at only one of now many dispensary operations in the state. 

Promotion Opportunities for Early Cannabis Industry Employees

The folks who got in at ground level at the beginning of Adult Use cannabis, and were in the front lines of a brand new market during the height of the pandemic climbed the ladder quickly. New generations of workers were afforded the opportunity to become supervisors, managers, and even placed in corporate level positions quickly. 

This opportunity to jumpstart a career in cannabis is about to hit Illinois again.

The next jumpstart to Illinois cannabis industry is here 

We are in the midst of the next jump start in the cannabis industry here in Illinois. If you aren’t paying attention yet, the time is now. Here’s what you need to know: 

• 177 adult-use cannabis dispensary licenses have been awarded as of July 2022
• As of June 1, 2022, the Department of Agriculture has awarded a total of 341 adult use cannabis licenses for craft growers, infusers, and transporters
• Each new businesses are going to need top tier dispensing agents to jumpstart their opening

Hundreds of positions of all levels are going to be opening up, and now is the time to prepare for your move to get in and be a part of a brand new industry as it expands and the opportunities for your own career development and growth to expand as well. When you enter an industry that is not yet established, you have a rare chance to shape it and find your own place within it.

"When you enter an industry that is not yet established, you have a rare chance to shape it and find your own place within it. "

Are you a license holder of a new cannabis business? Congratulations! ICTC can help you meet your goals for hiring and training. Contact us.

How to Prepare for New Cannabis Jobs?

Stay updated and educated on all things cannabis, get the required certifications to work for the type of facility you are interested in. Get connected with your local canna community- attend networking events and shake hands with professionals, stop by your local dispensary and ask questions. 

Check out our tips to get hired in cannabis: 

How To Land A Cannabis Job Blog 

3 Tips To Cultivate Your Cannabis Network

Cannabis Education and Training Resources: 

Cannabis 101

Responsible Vendor Training - State-Required

Accelerated Dispensary Bootcamp

Online Courses on All Things Cannabis

Cayden Mayo-O'Dea, Director of Educational Programs at Illinois Cannabis Training Center, started his cannabis career in 2019 just before the legalization of Adult Use Cannabis in Illinois. With a speciality of Learning & Development, he has trained hundreds of dispensing agents across the state of Illinois and assisted in the expansion of dispensary operations upon legalization. Now with a focus on spreading cannabis education, Cayden works with ICTC to help build bridges for those looking to make the switch to cannabis in their professional careers.