Posted on 08/26/2017 12:16:43 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Entry-level position can give preview of industry demands
According to New Frontier Data, a national research firm, by 2020 the legal cannabis market will create more than a quarter of a million jobs.
Comparable statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that will be more jobs than the manufacturing industry.
If you want to be part of this industry but don’t know much about growing or selling, consider starting as a budtrimmer.
This entry-level position in the growing and processing side of the industry provides a foot in the door for cannabis career opportunities.
Budtrimmers are asked to take every harvested and dried marijuana flower, and cut off any stray leaves to make every bud look nicely rounded and symmetrical. This makes it look more uniform when it is packaged and sent to the retailers, and hopefully more appealing to customers.
While some machines are able to perform automated trimming, many producers and retailers think humans performing hand-trimming can make a significant difference in appearance and quality, plus generally gives a perception that a company puts attention on high quality and attention to detail.
The process of trimming the plant to make it attractive is even considered an art by some.
“While most of our budtrimmers are entry-level, we certainly do appreciate those with experience also,” said Chris Leeper, head grower at GrowState, a Spokane producer. “Our budtrimmers demonstrate proficiency, organization, and attention to detail in a fast-paced environment.”
It’s not necessarily an easy job – trimmers usually sit for a full shift with nothing but scissors and buckets or bags of buds that keep on coming. It’s generally a good idea to wear thick gloves to protect from getting cut or poked and to avoid any skin exposure to the marijuana product.
“Dexterity is a helpful trait,” Leeper said. “Cosmetologists can make great budtrimmers.”
He said it’s also important for budtrimmers to be resourceful and work well both independently and with a team. GrowState generally employs at least six team members on staff for budtrimming. The company typically runs one eight-hour shift a day, but some busier companies may have longer or multiple shifts.
For some, a career working with legal cannabis can be a dream come true. GrowState budtrimmer Bobby Adams has been enjoying the process.
“Being able to wake up every day knowing that I get to come to work to work with legal marijuana is something I have always dreamed about and there is nothing better than that,” he said.
Crest Greco, another budtrimmer at GrowState, shares that hand trimming is important.
“I love being a bud trimmer for the love of the product and to ensure the customer has an excellent experience,” he said.
Leeper says that there is always room for growth and advancement for budtrimmers within the GrowState operations.
“An employee interested in advancing their employment responsibilities must show devotion to their current position and their ability to work beyond their current skill-set,” he said. “We have an excellent staff here at GrowState, so employee referrals are quite common.”
Wages vary by company and experience, but in Washington the going rate for a full-time position is around $11-14/hour. Some companies also offer health benefits.
Curious how job openings are posted in the industry? There are job posting sections on many industry websites, and you can often ads for trimmers on common job boards too.
Currently many local operations offer hands-on training for those new to the industry. For those who want to go the extra mile, there are a variety of online training courses, such as Cannabis Training University, which offers various courses including a Master Certificate program. This a private online training program and not related to any accredited college or university programs.
It’s a drug that makes people stupid and lazy. We’re insane to be pursuing this. George Soros is a big backer of legalized marijuana.
stoners don’t mind losing their constitutional rights as long as they get their dope- Socialism/communism gets people hooked, then takes away their rights-
Can’t say that I’ve seen otherwise....
When CO first legalized pot, the cops in neighboring states reported it was easy to arrest those trying to smuggle dope. They were always the cars driving 45 on the 75 mph interstate. Smoke coming out the windows and bloodshot eyes were also a key indicator/S.
For your interest.
Bud trimming, huh?
I’ll leave this one alone.
Bud trimming, huh?
I’ll leave this one alone.
“It’s a drug that makes people stupid and lazy.”
As a medical marijuana patient here in Florida I can assure you that is not correct.
Thanks for the ping.
For an industry that’s still in it’s infancy the cannabis business is definitely a job creator. If Fedzilla ever get’s out of the way so these businesses can legally use the banking system the cannabis industry will explode with growth, creating lots of jobs that otherwise would never exist.
Tis’ a win, IMO.
Bkm
Now if I could just remember why ???
“Sticky fingers.”
I worked in a CT tobacco field one summer. It was the dirtiest, stinkiest, and sticky job you could have. After a dat of picking suckers and tying plants left your hands dark brown.
I could only imagine what it would do to your lungs.
I can assure you it does. Good luck with whatever you’re dealing with.
Leaving the pros and cons of the drug aside, can you imagine a more boring job? A bench, a pair of scissors, and a never ending bucket of plants to trim. Oh, and gloves. For eight hours a day. Everyday. For $11-$14 per hour. There must be some sweet benefits just to get through the week. Pick of the crop, maybe?
Apparently the video has been toking: it wouldn’t work.
Back in the 80s I was playing hoops at a rec center when someone’s shoulder drove up and smashed into my jaw under the left ear with force.
From that moment on my TMJ has never been right. Pressure, and feeling like I need to yawn all the time. Tried acupuncture, didn’t work.
Marijuana is the only thing I’ve tried that relieves that pressure. So I smoke or vape marijuana .
I live in a town in Humboldt county that budtrimmers descend on every fall. These people promoting this are delusional. I’m not really anti pot but I can tell you budtrimmers are the #1 worst aspect of the pot industry.
“Do you smoke your medicine or is the medicinal benefit ingested in another fashion such as pill, oil, ointment? “
I live in Florida so smokable flower is not allowed. I use the oils for vaping & oral ingestion.
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