HIGHBABE/UNSPLASH
A new kind of job
Why workers are clamoring for a role in the legal cannabis industry By Kimberly Kirchner Special Sections Editor There's no arguing that the Massachusetts cannabis industry is growing like a — well, you know. Every new dispensary that pops up on the side of the road needs its own team of people to tend to it. In Mass., this adds up to more than 27,000 jobs in the cannabis industry, according to the 2022 Jobs Report from Leafly and Whitney Economics, up from just over 13, in February 2020. Cannabis workers now outnumber firefighters, police officers and lawyers in Massachusetts. Nationally, the number of cannabis jobs increased 33% in
2021, with a total of 428,059 legal cannabis jobs as of January 2022. More importantly, data suggests that the increase isn't just a freak fluctuation in industry trends caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; Cannabis jobs have seen an annual job growth of 27% or higher for the last five years. Analysis by Whitney Economics suggests that a mature cannabis market could support upwards of 1.5 million jobs nationwide. "So, where do I sign up?" The good news for job seekers is that you won't need to look far for open positions. A quick search for 'cannabis' on job searching site Indeed turned up 24 jobs across 15 employers, just within 25 miles
2 • The Herbalist | herbalistmag.com
of Pittsfield. Even established shops have continued to bring on new employees as sales increase and companies expand into growing and manufacturing. The Pass, which opened in Sheffield in 2020, has gone from 50 to 82 employees since opening in 2020, according to Carolann Strickling, VP of Finance & Administration. The company will be taking on even more team members once its manufacturing facility is operational. The cannabis industry’s frantic job growth is matched by the enthusiasm of job seekers, many of whom are eager to get into the business early on. "We've received thousands of applications," said Brendan
McKee,CFO of Silver Therapeutics, which opened its first dispensary in Williamstown in 2019, and now has about 25 employees in the Berkshires. While many sectors have struggled to fill openings following the "Great Resignation" of 2021, the cannabis industry has seen no shortage of applicants, even at the entry level. “I often find that people will come to us applying for almost any position we have open, with the hope of getting their foot in the door," Strickling wrote. For many, cannabis’ developing status means more opportunities for advancement, especially compared to established industries like retail Spring 2022
