Here at GreenForce, we take pride in being able to help our crews and staff work with a range of industry-leading clients on a variety of projects, translate their current skill sets into the skills necessary for working in cannabis, and reach their careers goals. We’re spotlighting one of our recent employee promotions, Alex Fortune. Fortune has been working with us for the past year and has been in a variety of roles and has recently been promoted to Production Manager. We wanted to hear how his experience working with GreenForce has been.
How did you hear about GreenForce? I first encountered GreenForce in 2017, I was working on a farm that brought them out to trim. I made friends with a few of the crew members, and last summer when I was looking for a new job one of them suggested I apply.
Why did you apply to GreenForce and what was your first role? My previous experience in cannabis was with a vertically integrated company, so I had done a little (or a lot) of everything; trim, garden, packaging, etc. After leaving the industry for about 18 months, I knew the landscape had changed and there was a much wider cannabis world to explore. GreenForce seemed like a great place to start, knowing that I would be working at a variety of different sites and facilities.
What has been your favorite experience working for GreenForce? That’s a tough one! I’ve gotten to work with some amazing people in really cool places. I spent most of June working down in Southern Oregon, and that was a really fun and rewarding experience.
What roles have you had at GreenForce? I started out as a general employee, trimming, packaging, pre-roll, garden support. I became a Lead a few months later, and after becoming a Field Manager earlier this year I’m excited to step into the Production Manager role.
How has GreenForce helped your career? Getting exposure to so many different corners of the industry helped me frame a clearer picture of my natural skills and abilities and where I fit in the cannabis world.
What do you like best about your job and working for GreenForce? It’s hard to put my finger on a “favorite” thing about my job. At risk of sounding a little cheesy, it really is the people. There’s a spirit of being helpful and supporting the people around you that is really ingrained in the culture here, and that’s an important value to me. We’re a company, but we’re also a community.
What goals has GreenForce helped you accomplish? When I started with GreenForce, my goal was to develop my skills as a leader, and to build a stronger resume that would lead me to a management position in the future.
Do you have any other thoughts about your job? I think that there are a lot of people out there who have no idea about the opportunities that exist here, there seems to be a sense that you have to enjoy smoking cannabis or be a medical patient to have a job in the cannabis industry, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. Jobseekers with experience working front and back of house in the service industry, manufacturing or production, construction, retail and customer service would all do well working at GreenForce.
Alex’s new role as production manager will be to support the growth GreenForce continues to experience as a top tier labor solution for clients. His support will be aimed at streamlining production schedules for optimal crew success in the field. Alex is a valued member of the team and we look forward to his future in the role of Production Manager!
