McGill's diploma program will train expert pot growers for $24,000
There is a strong need for it because the cannabis industry is desperate for qualified personnel, professor Anja Geitmann says.
Call it a sign of the times: McGill University will teach students how to grow the perfect pot plant starting next year.
McGill’s Diploma in Commercial Cannabis program launches in June and it’s meant to train biologists to cultivate cannabis, design strains, protect them against contaminants and understand the legal framework of Canada’s burgeoning weed industry.
While Guelph University has a cannabis cultivation course and there are college-level programs geared toward the industry, McGill is the first among U15 Canadian Research Universities to go all-in on weed.
The program comes as Canada’s biggest cannabis growers are turning to universities across the country for help. They need to staff their labs and greenhouses with plant biologists and a small army of experts to keep the industry rolling.
At McGill, professor Anja Geitmann says she’s been hounded by recruiters looking for qualified personnel for the past year.