While most industries contracted in the face of the pandemic, the legal cannabis job market saw 32% year-over-year job growth during 2020. In 2021, the industry supported over 300,000 full-time equivalent jobs. As support for legalization expands to other states, the already-rapidly growing marijuana industry will reach new heights. This is good news for not only the owners of new cannabis firms, but also workers as well. Entry level employees have a greater chance for quick advancement when their company sees fast growth.
What sort of jobs are available in the cannabis market? All kinds. Workers with all different levels of education and backgrounds can find a place in legal cannabis. Marijuana couriers are just delivery drivers with a different cargo assortment. Trimmers, cultivators, and harvesters of cannabis crops tend to be recruited from dishwashers and cooks in the restaurant industry. On the other end of the spectrum, extraction technicians make cannabis products in a laboratory environment and tend to come from a scientific background. Dispensary managers are recruited from either high-end retail or pharmacology. Retail and restaurant workers tend to join a more supportive and welcoming workplace when they switch to cannabis jobs. Opportunities exist for anyone willing to take advantage.
Learn more about the legal cannabis job market in the infographic below: