Asking 27-year-old Nick Damerio what he's doing to make a living, his answer may surprise you.
"I grow weeds," said a resident of Waldwick, NJ.
When D'Amelio was hired as a cultivation engineer at theGreenleaf Compassion Centerin Montclair, NJ, he landed the first gig in the cannabis industry over three years ago. I did. The first seed was love.
"I'm a weed man. I like weeds. I'm passionate about plants and the opportunities they bring to so many people," he said.
D'Amelio talked about the growth and potential of the industry's career as well as medical and recreational cannabis. "Three years ago, I was an engineer," he said. "Currently, I'm a northeastern cultivation manager who oversees three states. Where else can I grow so fast? I didn't go to college."
The manager is in New Jersey. Boonton'sTerrAscend, D'Amelio's second employer in the cannabis space. There he oversaw the construction of the first 76,000 square foot cultivation center in New Jersey.
The benefits of cannabis are the best in his head. "I smoked weeds with my stepfather and cousin because they are dying of cancer," he said. "It brought peace to them. It helps people enjoy life more, relax and sleep."
In April, the sale of recreational cannabis was legalized in New Jersey, which is one. One of 18 states where anyone over the age of 21 can buy a limited amount of weeds from state-licensed pharmacies. "People were lined up on the street," said D'Amelio. As of this month, there are 13 such clinics in the state and many more.
"The cannabis industry is on the verge of exploding and everyone is preparing to fly to New York," said JageMedia, who hosts some of the industry's leading businesses. President George Jage said. event.
He likens this point in cannabis history to the time when the prohibition was lifted in the alcohol industry. “Customer demand is clear and all kinds of jobs are available.”
Cannabis is still illegal by the federal government, so much of the work around weeds is done locally, with individual states regulating everything that happens "from seed to sale." Given that. New York, which has already been licensed by some of the recreational marijuana growers, will be online for recreational sale in late 2022 or early 2023, according to a briefing book published by the State of New York, for the next few years. Is expected to bring about 24,000 jobs in New York. ..
"The cannabis industry is always hiring," said Jacob Carlson, co-founder ofEzHireCannabis, also known as "Indeed for Weed." The job board EzHireCannabis.com is intended for mid-level workers interested in cultivation, laboratory work (processing and manufacturing), and retail.
Carlson says the main qualification to be employed in any job in the industry is "enthusiasm for cannabis." That said, ambitious battenders "know how to interact with their customers" and may be ahead of the competition if they have retail experience with their customers, but employees are about the product and its benefits. I need to learn.
To support the community, EzHire Cannabis offers a free marijuana learning center It offers. The site contains tutorials such as budgetending 101, packager / labeler 101, harvester / trimmer 101 and more.
New Yorkers may also consider theCannabis Labor Development Program of the New York State Department of Labor. It may be provided free of charge for the unemployed. Or a cannabisonline certificate program certificate. Among other things, production and management provided online by Leaflyby SUNY FarmingdaleandCannabis 101.
Midtown-based multi-state cannabis operatorAcreage Holdings's Vice President of Human Resources, Connie Bertussi, advises applicants to give at least some knowledge before the interview. doing.
"Over time, learn about the industry and the types of work you need. Let's go, to produce and sell our products, "she said. “It's also important to understand the requirements of the state.”
Not all cannabis work requires direct contact with the product. Companies like Acreage Holdings also employ accounting, IT, supply chain and marketing corporate positions. Many of the skills you need are well-distributed from other industries, but a "passion for the plant" is a must.
The legalization of cannabis has created a discipline outside the immediate industry, as discovered by public relations account supervisor Alexis Isaacs, 33.
If you've built a career around cannabis, I'm you I would have said no, "said a Brooklyn resident. However, she was intrigued when she received a call from Chelsea-basedMattio Communications, a human resources department specializing in cannabis at. In addition to working at Mattio, she is currently co-sponsoring a "High Priority" podcast featuring in-depth conversations with industry experts about the past, present and future of cannabis.
Human Resources Officer Carissa Menendez hires top HR jobs atLeafLink, a financial district-based software company that serves the cannabis wholesale market. I was also interested when I was contacted by the person in charge. The cannabis industry was in the news, and Menendez was "excited by the industry's mission to do good by doing good," she said. Menendez currently leads the HR of LeafLink's 340 employees who worked for some of the country's top employers such as Apple, Etsy, Microsoft and TimeWarner.
At this point, the cannabis industry has arrived and is full of opportunities. "There is no big resignation here," Isaacs said.