The NJ Cannabis Training Academy (CTA) celebrated its 1-year anniversary after launching to help struggling entrepreneurs in the adult-use industry in Trenton.
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“Today is a celebration,” NJ-CTA Executive Director Tauhid Chappell declared.
He explained the great effort that went into it, especially to deal with technical errors. Chappell noted that they have trained many entrepreneurs, professionals, and workers in the New Jersey cannabis industry.
He added that it is the largest state program helping cannabis companies in the United States.
NJ Business Action Center (NJBAC) Deputy Director Penni Wild explained their desire to make an online education program easy for anyone to use at any time.
“I couldn’t believe somebody actually did that. It felt like a dream come true,” she declared.
Wild explained their desire to make a simple process and “help legacy operators find their way into the legal market.”
“With more than 1,700 students, we are proud to be the largest government-run cannabis technical assistance program in the country,” she exclaimed to applause.
Wild noted that there are 25 very well-qualified instructors who have made videos accessible for free when a student wants.
She added that the classes are now available in Spanish. They also expanded from being more entrepreneurial-focused to also include education for professionals and workers looking for jobs.
“For every 7 cents invested in the CTA, there’s potential to generate $1 in sales tax revenue,” Wild argued.
NJ Cannabis Equity Progress
Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) Chair Dianna Houenou was also happy to celebrate progress made.
“Being an entrepreneur in any industry has its challenges,” she noted. “But starting a cannabis business faces some unique hurdles…”
“We at the Cannabis Regulatory Commission see the hopes and dreams of cannabis entrepreneurs every day, and we applaud every step that helps you make those dreams come true,” Houenou declared.
She said their education is empowering.
“We want to see you realize your full potential,” DH added.
“It’s helping the industry, and you wouldn’t imagine that a year in. So it’s a really important milestone,” CRC Acting Executive Director Christopher Riggs said.
National Cannabis Industry Education Model Admired
He explained the CTA program has gotten the attention of many in the Cannabis Regulators Association that oversee markets across the country.
“We’re building this industry. We’re helping this industry do great things,” Riggs declared.
“This is about dismantling barriers, fostering social equity and building a cannabis economy where small business owners thrive, not just survive,” he argued.
“Four years ago, this was just a conversation,” CRC Diversity and Inclusion Office Director Wesley McWhite III noted.
“There is no welcome packet in doing equity work in the cannabis space,” he noted.
McWhite noted the need to support social equity and underground legacy to legal operators via education. Thus, the CTA was launched along with the NJ Economic Development Authority (EDA), which has sought to help a few entrepreneurs with access to capital or money.
Helping Legacy to Legal Operators and Social Equity Entrepreneurs
Noted cannabis attorney and advocate Jessica F. Gonzalez explained she was hired to build the NJ Cannabis Training Academy.
“It has become a living, breathing example of what happens when community, government, and advocacy come together with a shared vision,” she said.
Gonzalez explained how she helped launch the CTA and their different programs.
She argued for the importance of classes in Spanish.
“Real equity starts with access,” Gonzalez said.
She noted how many advocates called for the program to help underground legacy to legal operators since the 2020 legalization referendum campaign.
“Today, this program is looked to as a national model. Proof that when you center education, equity, and community, the results speak for themselves,” Gonzalez exclaimed.
She noted their work building the industry by training people to excel in business and advocate for improvements.
Chappell noted that Gonzalez hired him for the position and the great vigor devoted to finding the top instructors for the program.
He said that Black women are their largest student demographic.
Chappell noted they want to add classes focusing on non-licensed ancillary cannabis businesses, helping legacy to legal operators, and hemp.
He then gave certificates to a few students who completed their program.
Several instructors were on hand for the celebration.
NJ Cannabis Training Academy Progress
Once launched, the NJ Cannabis Training Academy rolled out advanced classes on a range of subjects needed to operate and run a business in the industry.
The classes were designed so students could learn on their own time virtually. However, they needed to complete the courses in the CTA’s order.
The hit 1,000 students of cannabis business classes enrolled in the first five months.
The classes were unveiled bit by bit.
According to the NJ cannabis legalization law CREAMMA, the CTA is funded by adult-use tax revenue. So, money had to be secured from adult-use sales by dispensaries operated by the large Multi-State Operators (MSOs) who operated in the medical market first, for the CTA to be launched.
