Ballarat’s Federation TAFE is set to become the first campus in Australia to provide nationally accredited training in medicinal cannabis cultivation and production.
This development aligns with the federal government’s stance that medicinal cannabis can only be accessed through a medical professional and necessitates a standard prescription.
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Starting this year, the Ballarat technical college will offer a comprehensive two-year accreditation designed to meet the growing workforce demands in the medicinal cannabis sector.
Students enrolled in the program will have the unique opportunity to learn and be employed simultaneously, gaining practical skills in controlled growing and licensed medicinal cannabis operations.
Federation University Australia Provost, Liam Sloan reveals that the pilot program would enrol between 12 to 18 students.
“The design and development of these courses presents many opportunities for Federation TAFE and the communities in which we operate, including the potential for hundreds of jobs in manufacturing, agriculture, research and development.”
“Federation will be the first in Australia to deliver the Certificates III and IV in Medicinal Cannabis Cultivation and Production,” he said.
Australia’s medicinal cannabis industry has gained huge profits, worth more than $250 million.
According to Federation TAFE, the industry is expected to experience a staggering 40 per cent annual growth over the next five years.
Research from the Victorian industry’s further growth shows that by 2028, more than 250,000 patients will be using medical cannabis.
In an effort to meet the industry’s increasing demand, Federation TAFE will initially offer Certificates III in 2024, with Certificates IV set to be available from 2025.
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