Question: What are the local hot-button college courses in the Twin Counties? Answer: Cannabis — its sale, cultivation and processing.
Columbia-Greene Community College introduced its offerings in cannabis training last fall, after Gov. Kathy Hochul announced in July that all SUNY and CUNY community colleges would receive $5 million in funding toward programming that would prepare students to work in the cannabis industry.
“One of our most popular microcredentials is in cannabis,” Columbia-Greene President Carlee Drummer said. “Cannabis Retail Sales and Cultivation has been an incredibly popular course since the legalization of marijuana.”
Many students are enrolling for the credential because career ambitions changed dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, said College Communications Director Maureen Sager.
“I think that the cannabis program was a chance for people to see a new career path,” Sager said. “There were so many people during COVID who emerged with a new idea for what to do. We will be having cannabis cafes throughout Greene County. Some towns have passed that ordinance, and we [will] have prepared a highly skilled workforce.”
The Twin Counties have a promising future in the industry. Communities in neighboring states have proven it. Because the region is rural and many towns have already passed local laws allowing cannabis businesses, there will be a great number of opportunities in the near future for careers in the cannabis business. Columbia-Greene Community College will help us get there.