Dr. John MacKay Joins Green Flower and GF Institute to Promote Historic Cannabis Credential Initiative

VENTURA, Calif. and BAKERSFIELD, Calif., Sept. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh from the opening of the Dr. John MacKay's Extraction Institute he co-founded with MACE Media Group, Dr. MacKay and Green Flower are proud to announce he and the brands he both owns/operates will be joining the inaugural GF Institute (GFI) Steering Committee advisory group as Founding Members working to promote the value of standardized education for cannabis professionals.

"Dr. John McKay's Institute of Extraction Technology is one of the most trusted leaders in the global cannabis extraction community—his unique expertise and commitment to education makes Dr. MacKay a perfect fit and invaluable resource on the GF Institute Steering Committee," said Max Simon, CEO and Co-Founder of Green Flower. "If you plan to become an extraction professional, studying programs designed and led by John MacKay will propel you forward to new unimagined heights."

"I am excited that the industry is moving towards foundational standardized training. Corporate investment in this area is likely to increase employee confidence and improve performance, resulting in higher quality products and processes," said Dr. MacKay. "GFI has developed a much-needed framework for the introduction of cannabis credentials and ongoing educational opportunities. We are proud to be a Founding Member organization."

GFI is launching with 3 credentials: Dispensary Associate Certificate, Cultivation Technician Certificate, and Manufacturing Agent Certificate, to focus on the largest sectors of people growth in the industry. Each credential is 15 hours long, 100% online, and consisting of 2 units with exams at the end of each unit. The first unit included in these credentials is cannabis health, safety, and compliance -- and covers everything you need to satisfy mandatory training requirements in cannabis, modified slightly for job-role-specific requirements and best practices. The second unit in each course is a skills based training, designed to give people a foundational level of knowledge and skill in each key area of the cannabis industry.

"The Institute of Extraction Technology is committed to helping people understand every stage of the extraction process. GFI certificates support the Institute's objectives by laying the core ground rules for newer extraction professionals, thereby allowing our own team to focus on more advanced and nuanced levels of education and training," MacKay continued.

With these standardized credentials available to cannabis employers for the first time starting today, the industry can collectively build a truly skilled and talented workforce that provides better service to cannabis customers and patients, safety and consistency in cannabis products, and a new level of confidence, sustainability, and value across our industry.

GF Institute invites every Licensed Cannabis Operator across the United States to join this historic push to bring credibility, equity, and professionalism to our industry and become Founding Members of GFI.

The deadline for Founding Member applications is December 31, 2021, with an added financial incentive for brands who act early -- Founding Member brands are granted access to deploy the GFI certificates across their organization as part of the standard licensing fee for Green Flower's enterprise learning and development platform at no additional cost.

More information on GF Institute or the GFI Cannabis Credential program can be found at the GF Institute website, where visitors can download complete program documentation, review course syllabi, and find answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

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.

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

SOURCE Green Flower