Get Certified.
Get Listed. Get Hired.
The GreenEvents NYC Budtender Academy is a credentialed placement network for NYC cannabis businesses. Every person listed here has completed a recognized New York State cannabis education program. Don't have your cert yet? Most programs are free — we'll show you exactly where to go.
The Standard
Every Role Has a Credential Path
To be listed in the GreenEvents network, you need a recognized NY State cannabis program — or equivalent professional experience. Here's what qualifies by role.
Budtender & Retail
Kingsborough CC — Cannabis Retail Specialist Certificate (online) · BMCC Cannabis Workforce Program (free) · SUNY Cannabis Retail Management Microcredential
Get certified →Manager & Operations
LIM College — BBA in Business of Cannabis · BMCC Business Development track · SUNY Cannabis Retail Management Microcredential
Get certified →Marketing & Brand
LIM College — BBA or MPS in Business of Cannabis · BMCC Cannabis Workforce & Business Development · Portfolio in cannabis or adjacent industry accepted
Get certified →Compliance & Legal
OCM Responsible Workforce Training (mandatory statewide — all employees within 30 days of hire) · BMCC licensing & compliance modules · Legal background with cannabis focus
OCM RWT info →Cultivation & Production
Farmingdale State — Cannabis Production & Management Certificate · SUNY Morrisville — Specialty Crops & Cannabis Certificate · Columbia-Greene CC — Cultivation & Processing Microcredential
Get certified →Events & Activations
GreenEvents NYC production experience · Demonstrated event portfolio in cannabis, wellness, or culture · NYS Part 117 Cannabis Showcase Events knowledge
Work with us →Don't Have Your Cert Yet?
Most NY State Programs Are Free
New York State invested millions to build cannabis education programs at CUNY, SUNY, and private colleges. Get certified, then come back and submit your profile.
Cannabis Workforce & Business Development
FREE — DOL funded. BMCC / Borough of Manhattan CC. Covers cultivation, retail, compliance, and business licensing. For job seekers AND aspiring business owners.
BMCC Cannabis →Cannabis Workforce Training Program
FREE. Lehman College — Bronx Business Tech Incubator. Training for retail, security, and production. Free business advising and workspace for cannabis startups.
Lehman College →Cannabis Retail Specialist Certificate
Kingsborough Community College — CUNY Brooklyn. 100% online, flexible schedule. CUNY-credentialed. Covers compliance, product knowledge, and dispensary operations. The go-to cert for NYC budtenders.
Kingsborough →Cannabis Production & Management Certificate
Farmingdale State College — SUNY. 24 credits, 100% online. Covers cannabis science, business, and operations. Prepares for budtender, cultivator, dispensary tech, and marketing roles.
Farmingdale SUNY →Cannabis Retail Management Microcredential
SUNY Statewide — stackable, online, counts toward a full degree. Cannabis Retail Management, Cultivation & Processing, and Cannabis Science available across multiple campuses.
SUNY Microcredentials →BBA / MPS in Business of Cannabis
LIM College — Midtown Manhattan. Nation's first bachelor's and master's degree in cannabis business. Industry executives as faculty. For management, marketing, or executive roles.
LIM College →Free Guide: Every NY State Cannabis Education Program
CUNY, SUNY, and private colleges — all programs, costs, and links in one place.
Open Positions
Current openings at NYC licensed cannabis businesses. New listings added as operators share them with us.
Training & Certifications
What you need to know — and where to get trained — before stepping behind the counter.
NYS Dispensing Requirements
New York requires dispensary employees to complete basic cannabis compliance training. Check the OCM site for current approved programs.
cannabis.ny.gov →Product Knowledge
Know your cultivars, terpene profiles, cannabinoids, and consumption methods. Customers ask questions — confident, accurate answers build trust and loyalty.
Leafly Learn →NYC Retail Compliance Basics
Age verification (21+), prohibited quantities, labeling rules, and what you can and can't say to customers under state advertising guidelines.
OCM Regulations →Responsible Vendor Training
Several third-party providers offer responsible vendor certification — similar to TIPS for alcohol. More dispensaries are requesting this on applications.
Find a provider →Customer Consultation Skills
The best budtenders listen first. Understand the difference between helping a first-time tourist, a medical patient, and a daily recreational consumer.
Read our Visitor Guide →POS & Seed-to-Sale Systems
Familiarity with Dutchie, Flowhub, or BioTrack is a real advantage. Many NYC dispensaries use Dutchie — hands-on experience stands out.
Dutchie →What NYC Dispensaries Are Looking For
Beyond product knowledge — here's what actually gets you hired and keeps you there.
🤝 Community Connection
NYC dispensaries — especially CAURD operators — are deeply community-rooted. They want staff who reflect and respect the neighborhoods they serve.
📚 Genuine Product Knowledge
You don't need to know everything on day one, but showing genuine curiosity and a foundation of real knowledge — not just TikTok clips — matters.
🎯 Sales Without Pressure
The best budtenders guide — not push. Understanding a customer's budget, tolerance, and goals converts more than upselling ever will.
🌐 Multilingual Is a Plus
NYC is global. Spanish, Mandarin, Haitian Creole, Bengali — if you're bilingual, lead with it. Many operators actively seek language-diverse teams.
Connect With Us
Submit your profile to get matched with openings — or post a position at your dispensary.
👤 I'm Looking for Work
Submit your info and we'll keep you in mind when new openings come in that fit your background.
🏪 I'm Hiring
Licensed dispensary or cannabis business with an open role? Submit it here and we'll list it for free.