How to Become a Budtender in Florida
Do you want to know how to become a budtender in Florida? Florida is bursting with cannabis jobs. In the retail scene, budtenders are the unsung heroes. These entry-level jobs can get you started on a fulfilling weed career. Ready to learn how to get your foot in the door of the industry? Let's get started.
Florida’s Cannabis Laws
Currently, only medical pot is legal in the state. Up until recently, the state banned smokeable flower for patients. After lawmakers reversed the ban, the market started to take off even more so. The state is expected to pass adult-use laws within the next few years. It's up to you to be ready for the incoming green rush.
What is a Budtender?
A budtender is a knowledgeable salesperson in a dispensary. They must be friendly and outgoing. They are a patient's personal guide. As a budtender, you'll have to educate patients of all experience levels. You'll need to teach them about different products, strains, and consumption methods. You must find the right product for your patient’s unique medical condition.
How Much Does a Budtender Make in Florida?
Patient care technicians can earn between $12.50 to $15 an hour. Budtenders with previous work experience can earn more. The average budtender salary in Florida is about $14 per hour. Budtenders may also receive store discounts, tips, and other job perks.
Legal Requirements to Work in Florida’s Pot Industry
You must be at least 21 years of age to work in the industry. State law requires all medical weed workers to undergo a criminal background check. You must have a clean record to work in a dispensary. A felony can automatically disqualify you from employment. Some dispensaries may exempt low-level misdemeanor possession charges.
Florida Cities with Budtender Jobs
In Florida, pot companies must be vertically-integrated. Florida has about 22 approved companies that can open dispensaries. Of those companies, about 14 have dispensary locations in Florida. The state has a total of 213 dispensaries as of January 2020. That makes it the second in the nation for medical pot industry growth. The state is right behind Oklahoma.
Five operators run the majority of the shops in the state. Trulieve is the leader with 55 stores in Florida. Surterra Wellness follows Trulieve with 39 dispensaries in the state. Curaleaf trails behind with 28 dispensaries. Liberty Health Sciences has 27 dispensaries in the state. Fluent, formerly Knox Medical, rounds out the top five chains with 21 stores.
If you're looking for work, check out their websites for dispensary locations. Employment hubs include Tampa, Pensacola, and Jacksonville. Also, look for work in Avon Park, Destin, and Gainesville. Make sure to research your local laws first. Ensure there are no commercial medical weed bans in your city.
How to Find Work as a Budtender
Florida is one of the best places to find cannabis work, especially as a budtender. If you want to work in a dispensary, you need previous retail and customer service experience. On top of that, you need to know the weed industry inside and out. That means knowing about the medicinal properties of weed. You'll also need to know about the different products available in the state and dispensary.
If you don't have any of these qualifications, you can still join the industry. Find work in a non-pot related field in retail or sales to gain experience. Enroll in a weed education course to catch up on the latest developments in the industry. Craft a short and relevant resume with all of your qualifications. Don't forget to include your weed education to show off your passion.
You can start off in one of many other entry-level positions. You can then make a lateral move to become a budtender. Dispensaries are often hiring receptionists and security guards. You can work in the cultivation sector as a trimmer pruning flower. You can also work as a growing assistant helping master growers. Working in an ancillary industry can give you insight into how the weed market works.
One of the best ways to find work as a budtender is to talk to people. Attend networking events to find business owners and other like-minded people. Join online groups and even visit the shops themselves and ask if they are hiring. Putting a face to a name can give you an advantage over a simple resume submission.
Florida Cannabis College
Cannabis education can give you a competitive edge over other applicants. CTU offers online training for students around the world. Whether you're in Florida or Berlin, weed training is at the tip of your fingers. Sign up for budtender training today with CTU.
