ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Finger Lakes Community College senior Nicole Kimber is used to people having questions about her major.
“I’ve talked to so many people already and they’re like, ‘What are you studying?’ When I tell them, they’re shocked,” said Kimber.
She’s in the horticulture program majoring in cannabis biology.
“I saw that they had a horticulture program and thought that’s cool,” said Kimber. “Then I heard they have a cannabis program and thought even better.”
Kimber says cannabis helped her during postpartum depression which led to her passion for the plant.
The cannabis biology program started five years ago. Instructor Shawn Kenaley says it’s taken this long to find its groove.
“It’s figuring out where we fit, what our students can grasp quickly and readily apply,” Kenaley said. “Also, what is the industry demanding of us.”
According to the state Office of Cannabis Management, New York’s cannabis industry has generated over $1 billion in retail sales and created more than 5,000 jobs statewide since legal sales launched in 2022.
Kenaley says many students from the program go onto work as greenhouse technicians or in dispensaries.
“I think that fits well with them, they can actually explain to customers ‘Here’s the benefit of this plant,'” said Kenaley.
The three specialized courses in the cannabis biology program follow industry trends but they also teach students skills that can be transferred to any horticulture jobs.
“The most important thing is to inspire folks to be critical thinkers,” said Kenaley.
Kimber understands people might always question her major but says after graduation she’ll have the answers for them.
As the cannabis space continues to grow, so does the demand for workers. Read More
