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Oakton partnership offers students a path to jobs in the cannabis industry

Want to become a medical marijuana industry analyst or lab specialist, work at a cannabis dispensary or even become a grower?

Oakton Community College is offering students a first-of-its-kind path to earning a medical marijuana-focused bachelor's degree two years after graduating from the school.

This fall, Oakton launched a cannabis dispensary and patient care specialist certificate - the first such credit-bearing course at an Illinois community college - embedded in an associate of general studies degree program. Now, 101 students are enrolled in the 12-credit certificate course at the college's Des Plaines campus.

It prepares students for entry-level jobs in the growing medical cannabis industry, said Ileo Lott, Oakton vice president for academic affairs.

"The growing diversity of the types of jobs available in the cannabis industry requires more than what our education provides ... because of the variety, there are of varying levels of complexity and skills needed for the jobs," Lott said.

Students who complete the certificate course and earn an associate degree from Oakton are guaranteed placement in Northern Michigan University's medicinal plant chemistry baccalaureate degree program, under a new transfer partnership between the schools.

"This pathway supports the medicinal cannabis industry's call for workers with formal education and relevant credentials," said Anne Brennan, Oakton assistant vice president for academic affairs and college transitions. "This is the first of its kind."

As Illinois embraces recreational marijuana starting in January, job opportunities within the industry will expand greatly, she said.

Students who earn a 3.0 grade-point average from Oakton's program will receive a $5,600 yearly scholarship to attend NMU. It brings down the tuition cost for Oakton transfers close to the in-state tuition cost of $11,255.

NMU's program offers entrepreneurial and analytical tracks. Oakton students will transfer into the entrepreneurial track, which includes chemistry, biology and a core of business courses, said Rob Winn, dean of NMU's College of Arts and Sciences.

"That will prepare them for a variety of jobs in the field as well as if they want to start their own business," he said.

The analytical track focuses more on the sciences through specialized chemistry classes. Oakton students could choose that route but are not guaranteed to graduate in two years.

"Our medicinal plant chemistry program is the first of its kind in the country because no one has put together a program that really has looked at the needs of the industry and designed a degree around this," Winn said. "Our students will graduate knowing how to meet all those regulatory requirements (of medicinal and recreational marijuana). We have students who are being recruited by grow facilities. ... For many of our students, their goal is actually to start their own business."

Meanwhile, Oakton will be expanding its cannabis certificate course to keep up with the demand.

The college doubled course sections this fall and added teachers for a total of seven adjunct program instructors. It will add more sections next semester and also offer the course at its Skokie campus starting in January, Lott said.

Oakton plans to offer a new certificate program in cannabis transportation, logistics and supply chain management starting in the fall of 2020, if approved by the Illinois Community College Board.

Ileo Lott, seated left, Oakton Community College vice president of academic affairs, signs a transfer agreement with Northern Michigan University, along with Robb Winn, seated right, dean of NMU's College of Arts and Sciences. Standing from left are Oakton President Joianne Smith, Marc Battista, Oakton associate vice president for workforce education and dean of business and career technologies, April Reed of Pharmacann, and Ruth Williams, Oakton associate vice president for academic affairs and dean of curriculum and instruction. Courtesy of Oakton Community College
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