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Completing your application takes less than 30 minutes! We’ve created an application guide to help you quickly and easily complete the steps to apply and enroll.
The Merritt College Landscape Horticulture Department is to help students attain knowledge, skills, and broad-based outlooks needed to succeed as professionals, as stewards of the land, and as responsible citizens. To accomplish these goals the department provides open access to educational programs, support services, and community outreach in a rigorous, diverse, and culturally rich learning environment.
Started in Spring of 2022, the Cannabis Program at Merritt College was created to train future cannabis cultivators in one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy. The legal cannabis industry in California currently employs over 80,000 workers, that’s more cannabis jobs in this state than there are bank tellers, attorneys, or sworn law enforcement officers. The Basic Cannabis Horticulture Certificate of Achievement is designed to be completed in one year. It consists of both online and in-person courses to provide an overview of the California cannabis industry, and hands-on training in various cultivation techniques and work processes.
Merritt College has partnered with the City of Oakland and Case4Cannabis to provide an 8-week academic training program and a 10-week internship at cannabis businesses in Oakland. To learn more about the program, visit https://www.case4cannabis.com/ or click here.
***Disclaimer***
At this time, we are not able to grow cannabis or hemp flower on campus. Certain labs will use proxy plants to demonstrate cultivation techniques.
The Basic Cannabis Horticulture Certificate of Achievement Program prepares workers for careers linked to cannabis horticulture-related occupations, including Grower/Horticulturist/Cultivation technician, Propagator, Trimmer/Post-Harvest Specialist, and other identified occupations.
The Bridge to Cannabis Cultivation Certificate of Completion is intended for students who seek to enter careers in the legal cannabis industry, further their professional development, or prepare for entry into credit courses in cannabis horticulture.
Instructors
Matt Witemyre
MWitemyre@peralta.edu
Jamal Baker
Jbaker@peralta.edu
Landscape Horticulture Department
Office Phone: 510-436-2418
Email: mer-lanht@peralta.edu
Department Co-Chair
Chris Grampp
cgrampp@peralta.edu
(510) 436-2593
Department Co-Chair
Laura Forlin
lforlin@peralta.edu
Nursery Manager and
Science Lab Tech
Nia Hill
nhill@peralta.edu
(510) 436-2491
Coordinator
Molly Sealund
msealund@peralta.edu
(510) 436-2491
Staff Assistant
Dani Black
danielleblack@peralta.edu
(510) 436-2418
Completing your application takes less than 30 minutes! We’ve created an application guide to help you quickly and easily complete the steps to apply and enroll.