TAFE’s cannabis course gets green light

IN partnership with agricultural technology business GemKom, Federation TAFE plans to deliver an accredited pilot course in medicinal cannabis cultivation and production from this year.

The training is expected to produce a new generation of medicinal cannabis technicians and growers, and the project has received a $1.6 million grant from the State Government’s Workforce Training Innovation Fund.

“Federation will be the first in Australia to deliver the Certificates III and IV in Medicinal Cannabis Cultivation and Production,” said Federation University provost Liam Sloan.

“The design and development of these courses presents many opportunities for Federation TAFE and the communities in which we operate, including the potential for hundreds of jobs in manufacturing, agriculture, research and development.

“Industry partnerships are a key element of Federation’s co-operative education model, where all courses from the end of 2025 will be designed, developed and delivered in collaboration with industry, and where students will receive work integrated learning to give them a valuable head-start in their career.”

A Certificate IV course in medicinal cannabis cultivation and production is also planned to launch in 2025 targeted at producing industry supervisors and managers.

As part of an Australia-first operation, GemKom plans to grow cannabis for pharmaceutical products from a new indoor Ballarat facility and sell the products internationally.

“GemKom has incorporated the latest research, breakthroughs and best practices in cannabis cultivation from around the world,” said company CEO and managing director Regina Komkha.

“Our solar powered, first-in-Australia, large-scale, fit-for-purpose, high-tech, laboratory-standard, indoor controlled environment agriculture facility will establish GemKom as a leading-edge technologically advanced medicinal cannabis producer in Victoria.”

Over the next four years, it’s expected nearly 250,000 patients will need medicinal cannabis in Victoria to deal with conditions including cancer, chronic pain, headaches, problems with sleep, and anxiety.

Victoria’s medicinal cannabis production is likely to cater to between 30 and 50 per cent of use across the country.