The Maryland Department of Labor awarded a $217,000 grant to CannaWorkforce, Inc. to expand its cannabis workforce training programs in 2026, continuing state support for Maryland’s first Department-funded cannabis workforce development initiative.
The funding comes through the Department’s Employment Advancement Right Now (EARN) program and will support CannaWorkforce’s mission to train unemployed and underemployed Marylanders for careers across the state’s three cannabis industry sectors: cultivation, processing, and dispensary operations. The organization reports a 94% job placement rate for program graduates.
“This EARN funding enables CannaWorkforce to continue training Maryland’s unemployed and underemployed individuals for employment opportunities across cultivation, processing, and dispensary operations,” said Dr. Kathleen Kennedy, founder and CEO of CannaWorkforce. “Our educational programs give participants a clear pathway to higher-paying positions, and the addition of laboratory technician training in 2026 represents our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of Maryland’s cannabis sector.”
Founded in 2023 by Kennedy, a biotech workforce development expert, CannaWorkforce partners with Jacquie Cohen Roth, founder and CEO of CannabizMD and nonprofit The Tea Pad Foundation, to develop specialized cannabis training programs. The two met while graduate students in the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy’s Master of Science in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics program—where Cohen Roth now serves as a faculty member.
CannaWorkforce’s 2026 curriculum will include new specialized training for cannabis laboratory technicians, responding to a growing demand for skilled workers in testing and quality assurance roles.
“Being part of CannaWorkforce’s training program is often a life-changing experience for our learners,” said Cohen Roth, who serves as CannaWorkforce’s vice president of education and strategic partnerships. “We witness individuals transform not just their career prospects, but their confidence and sense of possibility. This program opens doors that many never knew existed, providing meaningful pathways to economic stability and professional growth.”
The organization plans to use the new funding to expand outreach and enrollment for 2026, with a continued focus on creating equitable access to career pathways in Maryland’s regulated cannabis industry.
