NorCal Cannabis Company Joins GF Institute, Adopts Professional Credentials in National Push for Professionalism

VENTURA, Calif. and SANTA ROSA, Calif., Sept. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Green Flower is proud to announce that NorCal Cannabis Company is joining GF Institute (GFI), with Co-Founder and Co-CEO Jigar Patel joining the inaugural Steering Committee as Founding Members in this revolutionary new approach to workforce development in the cannabis industry.

"We believe that cannabis is a better industry when individual employees feel empowered to become masters in their field. GF Institute brings together leaders from every area of the cannabis industry to develop the first standardized, industry-backed certificate program specifically intended to help cannabis professionals be more successful throughout their careers," said Patel. "GF Institute's Standardized Certificate program enhances the onboarding experience for all employees by providing a consistent, standards-based cannabis curriculum that helps employees have a better understanding of their responsibilities and expectations before they ever touch a plant. This fundamental level of functional knowledge embeds important considerations for product safety and consistency directly into the employee experience that result in added operational efficiency and stability."

The cannabis industry continues to grow at an incredible rate, leaving many leading employers to recruit new talent from other industries to fill vital roles in their organizational structure. These recruits often have little or no formalized cannabis education to draw from as they step into these new positions, which reinforces a negative feedback loop that all stems from a lack of training and knowledgeability. Unlike NorCal Cannabis Company, many cannabis employers today report painful and costly barriers to profitability including high turnover, poor customer service, unsafe products, costly compliance mistakes, and more.

GF Institute's Standardized Certificates are designed to solve this growing problem, which will only become more acute for brands looking to scale up and the best qualified talent pool develops additional complexities that make it even more difficult to stand out as an applicant.

"The cannabis industry's rapid growth in recent years has created an even greater need for the establishment of real, powerful, research-tested standards like what GFI provides for our field's workforce. GFI answers many of the questions facing the cannabis workforce as employers like NorCal Cannabis Company train and develop their employees to succeed in this ever-changing industry," said Gil Christie, the inaugural chairman of GF Institute. "NorCal Cannabis has built an impactful ecosystem in California, bridging the strong roots and rich heritage of our industry with its bright future—this makes them a tremendous partner to have in ultimately accomplishing our mission to promote institutional professionalism, credibility, and equity in the cannabis industry."

GF Institute's standardized certificate programs are overseen by an independent Steering Committee and advisory board, composed of representative members from each brand who approve the curricula for each job role, champion the intrinsic value of education and professional development, support social equity and other community-focused initiatives, and who are committed to raising the overall knowledgeability and quality of professionals in the cannabis industry.

The first three credential programs offered by GF Institute, available today, focus on the largest sectors of high-demand people growth in cannabis:

• Cultivation Technician Certificate (CTC)
• Dispensary Associate Certificate (DAC)
• Manufacturing Agent Certificate (MAC)

In the coming weeks and months, professionals across the cannabis industry will be among the very first to experience and complete this historic program, approved and designed by many of the industry's leading employers. Each credential program is approximately 15 hours long, available 100% online, and includes two summative exams at the end of each unit. On successful completion of any GFI credential, individuals are automatically granted membership in the post-graduate professional cannabis community. GFI members will also receive exclusive access to continuing education content, networking and career development opportunities, and much more.

GF Institute is now accepting membership applications from cannabis brand representatives, executives, and team leaders who want to be a part of this historic new chapter for cannabis education. Interested parties can find additonal information, including a complete program description with documentation and a list of all member organizations, by visiting www.gfinstitute.org.

About Green Flower:
Founded in 2014, Green Flower is the industry leader in cannabis education, empowering thousands of consumers, regulators, and professionals with the knowledge they need to succeed in the emerging cannabis industry today.

Green Flower's content and technology platform powers the cannabis programs of top universities and colleges across the country, provides customized learning and compliance solutions for cannabis businesses of all sizes, and equips individuals with the skills and credentials necessary to make an impact in the modern cannabis industry.

NorCal Cannabis Company Profile

NorCal Cannabis Company is one of the largest vertically integrated cannabis companies in California. NorCal's mission is to bridge the strong roots of our company and the bright future of the cannabis industry by creating the most impactful cannabis ecosystem in California.

NorCal operates cultivation and production assets, sales and distribution, retail stores, and consumer brands including 1Lyfe, Lolo, Occidental Hills, and Panacea.

Contact: Adam Summers
e: [email protected] p: 708.223.2336

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SOURCE Green Flower