Grow University?

Good Morning & Happy Monday!
How many of you were an hour early to work because you forgot to set your clocks forward? Lol?
Anyways, it’s Ya Girl from The 2409 and I was wondering where your heads were at regarding a question I’ve had rolling around in my head for a while.
Anybody seen advertisements online for those cannabis growing “universities” that offer training and various certifications relating to cannabis cultivation? They offer online and on campus training for hobbyists, home growers and individuals looking for work at cannabis farms and dispensaries.
Has anyone enrolled at any of these places or know someone who has? What are your thoughts on “book learning” vs experience based learning?
I ask because in my brief time here on the ILGM forum I’ve come to realize that this place is chock full of extremely knowledgeable and trustworthy people whose insight can be proven and relied upon.
Recently I interviewed someone for a position at my farm who doesn’t have ANY first hand experience growing cannabis, caring for cannabis or even USING cannabis but they have this alleged certification from this school or organization or whatever. They seemed knowledgeable and had a decent grasp of some basic theory but I am on edge regarding the fact that they’ve never even touched a plant.
Normally I hire folks who have been growing or trimming on their own for sometime and know how to read and listen to the plants and that’s been invaluable to my company. But on the other hand, I’ve always valued and respected the apprentice/mentor system, especially in this era saturated with over educated, pompous, ignoramuses giving less opportunities to those people who don’t have formal education but are extremely skilled or capable.
I trust and appreciate the views and advice from my new friends here and friends I haven’t met, so I was hoping for your opinions and weigh ins.
So, let’s talk about the validity of these Cannabis Cultivation Training Institutions (not a real name) and such.
Thank you in advance for contributing!!
xo
– ya girl

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I’ll be following along, I’ve learned a lot from the lab, and here. I’m far from being the most knowledgeable, but I know enough to be dangerous.

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I can’t contribute but I REEEEEALLY wanna see what all my boys have to say.

@dbrn32 @DoobieNoobie @PurpNGold74
@ThatoneAKguy @Gremmall

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Nothing beats hands on training and failures to learn from.

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If nothing else, anyone that went to the trouble to educate themselves to any level is going in the right direction to start with. A novice with a good attitude is better than an expert that knows everything! Just saying in general. All things can be taught to those that wish to learn.

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I would make some questions that only seasoned growers would know.

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I wish I could like your responses right now, i promise that I’m not purposely blowing your responses off but for some reason I can’t. I must have broken something or accidentally messed a setting up. :-/
So I am “verbally” liking and appreciating everyone’s input so far. :slight_smile:

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@Covertgrower yeeeeesssss!! I am in love with your response! “Know enough to be dangerous”
That sounds like a motto to live by! Love, love, love!

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Experience is great. But sometimes it’s not a bad idea to train somebody the way you want things done they’re not bringing bad habits with them. I vote go with your gut feeling give them a change.

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@kellydans - yeah, I’m leaning towards your point of view. I mean, it’s almost impossible to just gain experience in this industry, especially if the person can’t or doesn’t want to risk growing at home if it happens to be illegal for them to do so. So the “certification” would be the only way for them to get their feet wet in that situation.
I guess I could bring them on board on a trial basis, train them myself and then keep them with a mentor or buddy for a certain period of time, like never allow them to perform any plant or crop related activity without an experienced tech by their side and then at the end of that period maybe administer some sort of hands on exam to demonstrate their proficiency and ability to physically perform the work??
You mean something along those lines, right?

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I feel like an exam wouldn’t be necessary. You’ll know if they are the right fit

Yes, @the2409labs sometimes they can turn out to be your best help they also must have interest or they wouldn’t applied for the job. My wife owns her own company.

If I as an employer were looking for quality people, a degree in the field (or related) is helpful but I gotta say: just showing up on time is a biggie haha. Someone reliable that you can train in their own image is not a bad thing.

Story: my Dad designed and invented the stepping switch circuit for launch control facilities in the U.S… Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg, Wallops Field etc all used his design (think Apollo). He hired a telephone stepping switch expert to build these and had to fire him because he could not be retrained to use these the way the LF needed. True story. (As a caveat, he installed one of these in the first nuclear missile submarine. When he packed up his tools to leave, the Captain of the boat asked him where he was going. He ended up having to sail out and be present for the first ever submarine launch of a nuclear missile)

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@kellydans I think that you’re right. I think I should at least give them an opportunity.
One of the ONLY downfalls of owning a business in this industry is the slight apprehension behind every new hire. I’ve known of two other commercial growers who have had their “trade secrets” stolen. Like, the employee’s sole purpose for getting the job there was to pirate proprietary techniques or technologies that took the company years and years to perfect and that set their product apart from other products for that person’s personal gain.
But the only place where that’d really be an issue is in my lab, not the actual grow and no one is allowed in my lab except my assistant so I guess that’s not an issue.

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The wall street journal interviewed the founder of Sam Adams brewery and asked him about how much training they put into there employees and what if they quit. His response was “what if I don’t train them and they don’t quit?” I read that a long time ago and it still sticks with me

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@Myfriendis410 : that’s the coolest thing I’ve heard in a while. Other than cultivation, I am literally obsessed with everything space related. Let me join your family. Lol, JK, but seriously. Nah, I’m just playing around. But in the most serious way. :smiley_cat: :smile:
I think that you’re right and between your input and @Familyman I think that giving them a chance, at the very least on a trial basis, is the best way to go.
Either way, if it doesn’t end up working out at my company, they can at least add some hands on experience to their resume which will help them find work at another company.
I think that we have all been subjected to unfair, nasty, restrictive treatment by employers and/or not even been given an opportunity to prove ourselves and know how frustrating and disheartening that is. I VOWED, and even wrote into the business model and employee handbook that my company will strive to be the place where an employee feels the most valuable, most appreciated, most respected that they’ve ever felt than any other company they’ve worked for. No one that works for me/us will ever feel like they’re disposable or a dime a dozen and I believe that same respect should be extended to individuals who are prospective employees. So, I think giving him a chance is the right thing to do.

BUT, out of curiosity: has anyone here taken or looked at or knows anyone who has participated in any of those programs? Online or in person? What do you know about them? Are they comprehensive, legitimate programs with thorough and accurate curricula? Are they scams? I am actually really curious about this.

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@Familyman I’m legitimately going to Google that right now. That sounds like an article I must read.

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I’m pretty sure it was well street journal but that was a long time ago and alot of joints passed. Lol. It was a good interview for sure

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Off the rip I’m finding a lot of excellent interviews with Sam Koch so even if I don’t find that specific article, I’ll still learn a LOT because he seems to have wonderful business ethic and duty to give back and contribute to community as well as investing in the lives and growth of his employees. That’s the kind of employer I strive to be. Thank you so much for sharing that with me.

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That’s the guy! I’m happy to help a fellow grower.

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