It was not easy. As a matter of fact, I don’t recommend studying philosophy. There is no career for “philosophers” unless you receive an advanced degree. With a Masters or Doctorate of Philosophy, the only career patch is in teaching philosophy at the collegiate level. I graduated from Arizona State University in May of 2020 to an uncertain world. I experienced the same work place volatility as everyone else when restrictions began due to the pandemic. With limited options for a career path with my chosen degree field and a lack of recent career experience, I researched entry level positions in several industries. One industry that seemed to be thriving during the pandemic was the cannabis industry. After enjoying the the summer of 2020, I entered the cannabis industry as security at a retail store in the State of Washington.
I had low expectations of my experience dealing with the general public in a retail setting amidst the confusion and anger of the pandemic. As we all know, wearing masks created conflict no matter where you were. For three months I checked ID cards and talked with people coming into the store. It didn’t take long for the veteran community to make its presence known in my industry. Veterans had infiltrated every level of the cannabis industry. From customer to CEO, veterans were succeeding in an industry that didn’t exist for a majority of the War on Terror.
After a few months, I ascended from security directly to management. Having built a foundation of trust and maintaining standards, I had circumvented the usual process of career growth by foregoing the traditional steps towards management in the cannabis industry. This asymmetrical approach to my career path is one many veterans experience across all industries. Although employers remain skeptical of veteran employees due to the stereotypes that flood social media feeds, the value of veterans in the cannabis industry is immeasurable. The value of veterans in the cannabis industry is recognized by the leaders in this industry. Now, after being in the cannabis industry for four years, I have seen how much the cannabis industry recognizes the value of veterans in the workforce. I encourage veterans to participate in one of the few industries with the capability to grow nationwide. There is a community that accepts veterans, both for their experience and expertise. It is the cannabis community and there are careers for veterans in all areas of the industry. I found a community outside of the veteran community that accepts veterans for who they are. And, like many veterans, I chose to make a second career out of it.