Ohio鈥檚 cannabis industry is paying dividends following an Aug. 6 decision that allowed dual-use dispensaries to sell recreational marijuana. According to the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control, the state surpassed $50 million in sales over its first month as a legal marketplace.
Even with a cap on stores selling recreational marijuana in bigger markets such as Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati 鈥� 123 medical dispensaries are currently operating under dual licenses statewide - the deluge of customers has created a demand for more workers to grow, tend and sell the plant, noted cannabis experts and entrepreneurs interviewed by Ideastream Public Media.
The is rife with Ohio-based entry-level cultivator, trimmer and customer service positions. Cannabis businesses are also in need of skilled maintenance professionals to support grow facilities, not to mention experienced marketers to brand their operations. Given the industry's novelty, companies are actively recruiting individuals from outside the sector to fill workforce gaps.
B.C. Wehman spent two decades as a buyer and marketing director in traditional retail. Wehman, feeling unfulfilled in his career after turning 40, moved into marketing and sales with Eastlake cannabis processor Lighthouse Sciences. He鈥檚 also an instructor with the - an accredited career institution for marijuana employees 鈥� and co-hosts the Because Cannabis podcast.
Wehman stresses that the science of cannabis is just as essential to the field as marketing and maintenance.
鈥淥ne of the parts that we don鈥檛 think about when it comes to cannabis is the very science-minded folks,鈥� Wehman said. 鈥淚f you are a person who appreciates biology down to a molecular level, Ohio has some of the strictest testing standards in the country. So the testing labs are very viable here.鈥�
In the coming years, cannabis will need more irrigation specialists and security personnel, along with skilled attorneys able to translate the latest , Wehman said.
鈥淎 lot of the time people talk 鈥榳eed jobs鈥� and think of people just growing weed,鈥� said Wehman. 鈥淎ll the jobs people have to do in normal companies 鈥� accounts receivable and payable, human resources 鈥� those all exist (in cannabis), too.鈥�
A market poised for growth
Nationally, the therapeutic application of marijuana is allowed in 40 states, while recreational use has been approved in 24 states and the District of Columbia. The legal cannabis space supports more than 440,000 full-time equivalent jobs, per an from Colorado-based marijuana staffing company Vangst and the analytics firm Whitney Economics.
Whereas established markets such as Colorado and Washington experienced a decline in jobs, newer entrants enjoyed an employment surge 鈥� Michigan alone added more than 11,000 jobs, a 39% jump from the previous year, according to the report.
Given the nascent nature of Ohio's cannabis market, it鈥檚 equally premature to forecast future job numbers here. However, as entry-level positions comprise half of all cannabis-related work, it鈥檚 not a stretch to believe that the Buckeye State will follow suit, said Wehman.
鈥淎 lot of the time people talk 鈥榳eed jobs鈥� and think of people just growing weed. All the jobs people have to do in normal companies 鈥� accounts receivable and payable, human resources 鈥� those all exist (in cannabis), too.鈥�B.C. Wehman, marketing and sales at cannabis processor Lighthouse Sciences in Eastlake
Ohio鈥檚 cannabis market is poised to bring in delivery drivers, plant trimmers, product packagers, and customer service representatives, noted Lenny Berry, founder of the , an annual event at I-X Center that links vendors and industry professionals to the public.
Budtenders are another in-demand role for local dispensaries, said Berry, also owner and chief visionary officer of hemp producer Organic Plus Brands in North Ridgeville. Budtenders, equipped with expertise in different products, strains, and their effects, can assist the canna-curious with questions and recommendations.
, dispensary consultant positions in Ohio typically pay $17 per hour, while general managers can earn up to $26 per hour. Though the sector is a 鈥渞evolving door鈥� at the entry level, an expected inflow of combustible products will create opportunities for new brand ambassadors to build relationships with consumers, said Berry.
鈥淎mbassadors are the people on the front line of education for cultivators and processors,鈥� Berry said. 鈥淪o you鈥檙e going to need more of those, because you have more dispensaries opening up, and you have more people to educate.鈥�
Onward and upward
New entrants into the cannabis industry have opportunities for advancement - trimmers can become cultivation associates, while budtenders may one day manage a dispensary. Non-cannabis retail managers transferring their skills to marijuana simply must understand the products they鈥檙e buying and selling, said Berry.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of people that transition from big box stores,鈥� said Berry. 鈥淭hey come into the cannabis side running retail operations and never had a history of working in cannabis.鈥�
Klutch Cannabis, an Akron-founded cultivator with a dispensary in Lorain, offers the usual plant processing positions along with the manufacturing of gummies and other food products.
鈥淚t鈥檚 safe to say no job has declined, but like any company that鈥檚 experiencing exponential growth, the roles get more specialized,鈥� said Klutch chief compliance and communications director Pete Nischt. 鈥淵ou need people specialized in the trades, or who are more cultivation- or processing-specific. Or in any administrative or ancillary position, we start to look for people with greater qualifications.鈥�
Klutch had 250 employees statewide prior to legalization, a figure that Nischt expects to double or even triple in the next 18 months. Ultimately, the marketplace is searching for adaptable individuals passionate about contributing to the industry鈥檚 rapid growth, Nischt said.
鈥淧eople ask this question a lot 鈥� 鈥楬ow do I get involved, how do I get a job?鈥� said Nischt. 鈥淲e are in a place where we鈥檙e never not hiring. That can be said about a number of companies in Ohio. The best thing you can do if you鈥檙e interested in working in the industry is reach out. Cast a wide net, put yourself out there, and there鈥檚 a place for people who want to be involved.鈥�