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Olds College offering cannabis production courses

Online courses followed by hands-on experience at local medical marijuana facilities
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File photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS

Looking for a career in cannabis?

Olds College can get you started on the road to marijuana management.

Registration for a new online cannabis production program starts today with courses starting on July 3.

Four online courses are included: introduction to horticulture production, introduction to crop production and facilities, cannabis legislation and documentation, and horticulture for cannabis production.

After completing the courses, a two-week field study is offered where students can get hands-on experience at Sundial and Terra Life Sciences.

A second non-credit continuing education Cannabis Retail Advisor course is being developed for the fall and will be offered on a cost-recovery basis.

Olds is emerging as a medical marijuana production centre.

Sundial Growers is in the process of construction a 545,000-square-foot marijuana production facility.

The company expects to complete all three phases of construction by March 2019. When it is completed, it will have 280 modular units covering 545,000 square feet and could employ as many as 600 people.

Nearby, Terra Life Sciences is building a second phase of its medical cannabis cultivation operation. The 230,000-square-foot facility will be located next to a 50,000-square-foot cultivation facility. Combined, the production capacity of the two buildings is 35,000 kilograms per year.

For Olds College, the new courses continues a 50-year relationship with the horticulture industry.

“We are pleased to be working with our new Cannabis Education and Research Industry Advisory Committee, made up of representatives from industry and the College, to create new programming and research opportunities that support the cannabis sector and provide new learning opportunities for our students,” says Debbie Thompson, Olds College chief innovation officer and vice-president academic and student experience.

Sundial CEO Torsten Kuenzlen said Sundial is “committed to the development of a highly skilled cannabis production workforce in Alberta.

“This partnership with Olds College allows us to support our local community while preparing individuals for employment in the cannabis industry.”

Dr. Anil Jain, president and CEO of Terra Life Sciences, said the course will be a valuable addition to the Olds College curriculum “given the growing need for education and trained employees in the medical cannabis sector.”



pcowley@reddeeradvocate.com

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