Education and training
Vocational education and training:
In 1929, so-called “Indian hemp” was included in the precursor of the Narcotics Act in Germany for the first time. The why is not important at this point. However, the consequences are: while hemp was still of great economic importance in the 19th century, this marked the beginning of over 70 years of hemp prohibition in Germany, which became all-encompassing after the end of World War 2.
It was only in 1996 that the cultivation of commercial hemp was allowed again, but it has hardly developed since then. This is also due to knowledge about cultivation and processing that has been lost over the years. Entire occupational profiles have disappeared.
Initial vocational education and training:
In the area of initial vocational education and training, it is important to examine which future occupational profiles are relevant in a field that is once again growing in economic importance and which need to be redeveloped as a result.
The Linnaeus Competence Centre Hemp can build on a high level of expertise in the field of curricular and didactic development. In line with the design research approach, the relevant stakeholder groups (companies, training staff, trainees) are involved.
Continuing professional development:
The skilled workers needed to build up a new branch of the economy can be gained with – definitely also low-threshold – additional qualifications (e.g. in the field of cultivation). This also offers opportunities for people who have so far been less compatible with the needs of the existing labour market.
The development and design of further education modules is part of the core competence of the Linnaeus Competence Centre Hemp. This is also reflected in the participation of our stakeholders in the partner network Vocational Education and Training for ESD of German UNESCO commission.
Higher education:
The academic treatment of hemp in research and teaching has increased in recent years. Nevertheless, hemp is a niche topic in this respect and is predominantly treated as such in existing research branches. In view of the future importance of the hemp industry, it is time to systematically introduce research and teaching to this importance.
The Linnaeus Competence Centre Hemp has set itself the task of initiating this systematisation process by developing a 2-year Master’s degree course (M.Sc.), accrediting it in cooperation with universities and establishing it as a degree course. Here, too, relevant stakeholder groups (e.g. students) are involved in the development process.