Hundreds attend Tweed job fair Saturday
96 retail positions to be filled, including 50 ‘budtenders’
Excitement filled the air upstairs at Rocket Bakery on Saturday afternoon as upwards of 200 job candidates gave their winningest smiles to recruiters with Tweed — the retail cannabis business owned by Canopy Growth Co.
People lined the stairwell and more waited outside before the fair officially got underway. By 1:30 p.m., about 200 people had applied for the 96 retail positions to be filled, and the job fair still had hours to go.
Positions to be filled include five store managers, five associate managers, 10 team leads, 50 budtenders, five inventory associates, one community engagement specialist, and 20 age gaters (people who check IDS to prevent sale of cannabis to those under 19).
Those positions will be spread out over five locations: Water Street and Kenmount Road in St. John’s, Mount Pearl, Conception Bay South, and Corner Brook.
Canopy Growth’s regional general manager Mario Castillo was on site and said the company is looking for “people who like people” — as in any other retail job, it’s expected that employees will be enthusiastic and friendly.
One potential candidate standing in line to speak with recruiters was Trevor White, who said “customer service is my life.”
White was surprised by the number of people who showed up to apply for the jobs.
“I think it’s very positive and exciting,” he said, adding: “It’s going to boom the economy, so why not try and become a part of it?”
Castillo said all candidates will receive a callback within about two weeks but noted some people may actually get hired immediately.
He said Canopy Growth is full steam ahead so that it’s ready to greet customers as soon as government gives the go-ahead, noting the actual opening date for retail locations is dependent on when government decides cannabis can be legally sold for recreational purposes.
“However, we have always been prepared to be there, and be first and be ready. That’s our goal, which is what we’re doing here today.”
Saturday’s job fair was the first one for Tweed in Canada on the retail side of the business, but there will be more job fairs coming up in the province when the company looks at hiring for the operations and production facility, which is estimated to generate another 150 to 200 jobs.
Castillo said the company is committed to this province, suggesting the province supported it and the company will live up its commitments by supporting the people of the province.
“We want to create facilities and jobs where people need the jobs,” he said, adding the reception has been “incredible.”
“It seems people are excited for something new and new jobs coming to town.”
Trying something new was one reason Dave Coffin showed up at the job fair.
He’s a sous chef and is applying to be a budtender— someone who will help customers find the right product for them.
“I’m really excited to watch this industry take off and evolve,” he said. “And I’m excited to see what’s going to come of it.
“I want to see a lot of the development and production of any kind of edibles here because it goes hand-in-hand with food, which is the background I’m coming from.”
Applicants from a variety of backgrounds showed up to put in their application.
Megan Sullivan is studying science at Memorial University and has plans to study botany.
“So, this is a job that will kind of be in my field that I can get now, which is kind of hard to find. I think it would be really interesting.”
Castillo said the decision to have Tweed’s first retail job fair in Newfoundland was a nobrainer.
“It’s a great place and we have retail spaces that are opening up here in Newfoundland—not every province has the format where they will allow the licensed producers to have retail stores. Newfoundland decided pretty early on to do that, so why not start here?”
“I want to see a lot of the development and production of any kind of edibles here because it goes hand-in-hand with food, which is the background I’m coming from.”
Tweed budtender applicant Dave Coffin: