Massachusetts Community College Offers Cannabis Training Scholarships

TG Branfalt

4 years ago

The Holyoke Community College Cannabis Education Center in Massachusetts is offering student scholarships for its core cannabis training program, which runs March 20-21.

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Massachusetts’ Holyoke Community College Cannabis Education Center is offering scholarships to students who enroll in its core cannabis training program, which runs March 20 and 21. The program costs $595 but qualified individuals could have the full cost covered by the college’s partner, cannabis company Elevate Northeast.

Cara Crabb-Burnham, Elevate Northeast’s co-founder and director of education, said the scholarships are targeted primarily at students from communities negatively impacted by drug laws that preceded cannabis legalization in the state. The scholarships are funded by cannabusiness donations.

“The goal of the Elevate Northeast Scholarship Fund is to help future cannabis employees and entrepreneurs experience real-world training and education that will bolster their ability to earn viable positions in the cannabis industry. Through this scholarship program we hope to attract students to the cannabis industry who have a passion for cannabis and want to ensure the cannabis space is diverse, equitable, and fair.” – Crabb-Burnham in a statement

Students who complete the core training program are then eligible to register for classes in one of the college’s cannabis industry career tracks: culinary assistant, extraction technician, and patient services associate.

The Cannabis Education Center is a partnership between the college and Elevate Northeast and based out of HCC’s Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development.

Last year, Denver, Colorado-based cannabis tech company Veriheal announced they would offer $10,000 in scholarships to students interested in the cannabis industry, saying focuses such as pharmacology, botany, and business would be relevant for the awards.

Colleges and universities in states with both adult-use and medical cannabis programs, along with states with strong hemp industries, have launched a variety of industry-focused education programs as cannabis-friendly policies proliferate throughout the U.S.

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