Despite the economic impacts of COVID-19 on the world market, the cannabis industry saw enormous growth in 2020 and 2021. Considered the fastest-growing source of jobs in the U.S., the cannabis sector has experienced a 32% average growth rate year after year. As of early 2021, the legal marijuana industry supported more than 320,000 full-time jobs. Now, with 2022 just around the corner, marijuana is projected to have the biggest year yet with more states passing legalization and thousands of jobs becoming available as a result.
So, what are some of the best and most exciting jobs currently available in the marijuana industry? Here’s our guide to the top cannabis careers for everyone from the greenest (no pun intended) entry-level workers to the most seasoned industry professionals!
Cultivation Manager & Master Grower
Like popcorn, mayo, and ice cream, there can’t be just one brand of cannabis available! In states where cannabis is fully legal, consumers can enjoy endless varieties of weed, from innovative strains and new hybrids to exciting new products and methods of consumption. With more grow operations open to fulfill the demand for exciting new products, there is also a rising demand for cultivation managers and master growers.
Cultivation managers and master growers are in charge of managing everything needed for a successful grow operation. The job involves managerial tasks, deep knowledge, and understanding of cannabis plants and their environmental needs, organizational skills, and so on. Needless to say, these positions are best for experienced cannabis cultivators but are also some of the most rewarding.
Edibles Chef
Smoking or vaping isn’t for everyone, but that doesn’t mean you have to forgo marijuana! Cannabis-infused edibles have become one of the more popular ways of consuming marijuana and can be safer for individuals with sensitive lungs or respiratory illnesses. Edibles also make taking cannabis a tasty process, which can add to the fun of the high!
Behind the incredible and delicious edibles available at dispensaries today are skilled edibles chefs who combine their love of food and weed! If you enjoy the methodologies and precision used in the lab but also enjoy being creative at work, you might thrive as an edibles chef. Careful measurements of active ingredients, proper mixing, and careful temperature control all help produce the best, most potent, and consistent results. Combine that with taste testing, flavor mixing, and candy making/baking skills and you’ve got a super fun career!
Budtender
The cannabis industry’s equivalent to bartending, budtenders work face-to-face with customers in the dispensary, recommending products to customers based on their specific wants and needs, taking payments, and organizing stock. A great job for a social cannabis lover, budtending can be highly rewarding.
Many dispensary visitors are medical cannabis patients and need recommendations for products that help them to live more comfortably. Even if cannabis is a recreational pass time for you, many of your customers will use marijuana as medicine. While this part of the job is extremely rewarding, interacting with recreational customers can be just as much fun! Share your knowledge, give recommendations, and help people have a fabulous experience.
Cannabis Extractor
An extractor technician operates the machinery that separates the THC concentrate from the buds. Maintenance of equipment, ordering necessary materials, and keeping the extraction area clean, organized, and ready for use are among the various responsibilities of a technician. Applicants with a background in science are preferred by many companies since they have an understanding of lab safety and procedures. As such, extractor technicians are considered mid-level jobs.
If you have a chemistry or lab background and are interested in transitioning to the cannabis industry, cannabis extraction might be the right path for you! Extracted THC is typically not sold as a consumer good. Instead, cannabis extract is sold to companies that produce tinctures, edibles, topicals, and so on.
Trimmer
‘Trimmer’ is often the first job title cannabis professionals take on in the industry since this entry-level position is easy for inexperienced workers to qualify for. Trimmers manually remove the leaves and excess material around dried cannabis buds, both to improve the appearance and to ensure potency. Trimming is a fairly simple but important job, and many cultivation companies pay their trimmers a comfortable salary.
If you’re interested in working in the cannabis industry, but you’re not sure where you’ll fit in, you should consider trying a few different temporary jobs. At Hemp Temps, we help to pair professionals seeking work in the cannabis industry with incredible growers, producers, and dispensaries. Start your journey today by applying to join the Hemp Temps family!
