Trade Association Offers Cannabis Education Scholarships

The New Jersey Cannabis Trade Association (NJCTA) is offering six scholarships to students who demonstrate financial need for Mercer County Community College’s Medical Cannabis Training course. The scholarship includes the added bonus of matching recipients with a corresponding cannabis company for an interview after completing program requirements.

The scholarship is open to those aged 21-and-older who reside in specified New Jersey zip codes in addition to the financial need.

NJCTA President Shaya Brodchandel said offering the scholarships is a “no-brainer” for the organization.

“By participating and creating a scholarship fund for the program we get to give back to the community where our members are located while simultaneously finding trained individuals who could be employed by New Jersey cannabis operators in the near future. Partnering with New Jersey Cannabis Certified and Mercer was the perfect way to achieve both of those goals.” – Brodchandel in a press release

Valley Wellness CEO Sarah Trent, who developed the course, said the class saw high enrollment during last year’s session but that the organizers “also saw that some people need financial assistance.”

“So we started looking for sponsors to help create scholarships,” she said in a statement. “The NJCTA was excited to get involved and help develop a plan to make sure those most in need of jobs, who live near existing cannabis operators in the state, had access to job training.”

The course fee is $500 and in addition to the need-based scholarships, Valley Wellness sponsors up to five veterans for tuition waivers.

Scholarship applications are accepted until April 5.

Last month, Massachusetts cannabis company Elevate Northeast said it would help fund scholarships for, primarily, students from communities negatively impacted by drug laws that preceded cannabis legalization in the state for Holyoke Community College’s Cannabis Education Center.