2020 is a year we’ll never forget. How could we? If 2020 was a story, then the COVID-19 pandemic would be the main antagonist. It upended everything, reorienting the economy, business operations, and our own livelihoods.

If you’re looking for a new job and are a fan of vaporizers, Vaped.ca has an opportunity for you.

The company is looking to hire someone to put dry herb vapes to the test. The selected candidate will be paid $50K a year, receive three weeks of vacation, and will probably accumulate way more vaporizers than any human needs.

Whoever gets hired will regularly get new vaporizers to test out. The vapes are free and the tester is expected to provide input on the functionality of the device, as well as general product information, such as battery life, ease of use, how to clean and maintain the device, and comparisons to similar products on the market.

48North Cannabis Corp. will lay off about 20 per cent of its staff as it ends outdoor cultivation at an Ontario facility.

The cannabis company's CEO Charles Vennat says the layoff impacts about 26 staff and comes as 48North immediately ceases operations at its Good Farm outdoor cultivation facility in Brant County, west of Hamilton.

The company described the closure as an important step toward profitability and when coupled with decreasing its cash use, said it will result in annualized savings of at least $5 million.

The Good Farm cut leaves 48North dependent on strategic partnerships with licensed producers and on DelShen, an indoor facility it keeps in Kirkland Lake, Ont.

Last month’s jobs report was sunnier than usual: 192,000 jobs were added in February, reflecting 12 straight months of private-sector job gains. And unemployment dropped to 8.9 percent from 9 percent in January. So the economy seems to be recovering … slowly. And that could mean opportunities for some portion of the 9 million Americans who lost jobs in the pandemic.

Experts have advice for them: Look for job growth in ecommerce, health care digital marketing, nursing and more.

Many women around the world were raised to believe “this is a man’s world.” And, to a certain extent, that was the case back then. But as society progresses, we have come to understand that men and women should — and need to be — equal, both in and outside the workplace.

“There is an opportunity for anyone, regardless of skill set, to find their fit in cannabis.”

Depending on the staffing firm or recruiting expert you speak to, either the cannabis industry is mainly underpaying its employees or correcting the issue as the it matures into a billion-dollar market.

The lack of consensus does not take away from the fact that the space is one of immense potential and is already a job creator. Research conducted by Leafly found that cannabis supported over 321,000 full-time jobs in America as of January 2021. The report states that there are now more American cannabis workers than electrical engineers.

In four years, the cannabis industry’s job growth has increased 161%, quickly beating predictions from other industries 10 years from now.

Leafly’s fifth annual cannabis jobs report showed the cannabis industry to support 321,000 full-time equivalent jobs in 2021! An incredible number for an amazing and highly-deserving industry.

Unlike other industries that were badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting recession, hiring in the legal cannabis industry has been booming. Experts attribute the industry’s designation as "essential" at the start of the outbreak as a key reason for the surge. However, challenges still mount. For instance, the industry may be growing exponentially, it is fragmented thanks to the federal illegality. Currently, 36 states (and D.C.) have legal medical marijuana markets while 15 (plus D.C.) permit adult-use.

Cannabis employment company Vangst recently released its new “Cannabis Industry Salary Guide” and while some news is encouraging, there is still a long way to go for cannabis companies. On a positive note, job creation is increasing, and more women are employed by cannabis companies.

Workers and business owners alike have new insight into the salary ranges and hiring trends for legal marijuana businesses with the release of a new guide from cannabis industry professional recruiting firm Vangst. Now in its third year of publication, the Vangst Cannabis Industry Salary Guide was released on Monday and is available via a free download.