The mission of the New York State Cannabis Workforce Initiative (CWI) is to promote and support social equity in the adult-use cannabis market by providing quality workforce development and legal education. Our work prioritizes diversity, equity, and quality jobs in the emerging cannabis industry through skills training, entrepreneurism services, workforce supports, legal education for employees and employers, and the development of high-road career pathways. We draw our expertise from Cornell ILR and WDI.

Workforce Development

Promoting access to opportunity in a growing industry

CWI’s 15-hour pre-employment certificate program serves as an overall introduction to the cannabis industry to help job seekers be better prepared for success in entry-level job interviews. Participants completing the no-cost program gain a general understanding of the cannabis market, processes from seed to sale, jobs available throughout the industry, and worker protections under labor and employment laws and MRTA.

Worker Rights Training

Legal Education for Employers and Employees

For NY’s cannabis industry to provide real opportunities to build generational wealth in under-resourced regions and communities impacted by the war on drugs, cannabis jobs must be high-road jobs. Workers need to know their rights and employers their legal responsibilities for creating diverse, fair, and equitable workplaces.

Rooted
in the Community

Meeting people where they are.

CWI partners with community-based organizations and public colleges across the state to offer high-quality, accessible training and educational opportunities to ensure the benefits of this new industry are shared by a broad, diverse pool of New Yorkers.