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Minnesota Dual-Training Pipeline Cannabis Logistics and Inventory Specialist Competencies Survey

We need your input!

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry ("DLI") Dual-Training Pipeline team is conducting a survey on proposed competency standards for potentially adding a new occupation in the ­­­­­Legal Cannabis industry. The information you provide in the survey will be used by DLI to create the Cannabis Logistics and Inventory Specialist dual-training competency standards.

Your participation in this survey is voluntary. Any information you choose to supply on this survey will be used by DLI staff members working on creating competency standards for Cannabis Logistics and Inventory Specialist; competency models and all survey data entered are public information.

In addition to participating in the survey, you are invited to join a meeting on January 20, 2026 at 11 a.m. to discuss the new possible Legal Cannabis Industry competency standards. The link to join the meeting is here.

If you have questions regarding the survey or any other work of Minnesota Dual-Training Pipeline, please email pipeline.program@state.mn.us. Thanks!
Draft - Cannabis Logistics and Inventory Specialist
Minnesota Dual-Training Pipeline Competency Model for Legal Cannabis Industry Occupation: Cannabis Logistics and Inventory Specialist. Employer-Specific Requirements: (left blank for employers to add their own requirements). Occupation-Specific Competencies: Perform warehouse operations, use and train others on tracking software, conduct customer service procedures, oversee receiving, assist with purchasing, analyze logistics design, report inventory levels to leadership, assess production control capacity, plan production and materials required. Industry-Sector Technical Competencies: Demand planning, basic business math and accounting, warehousing, inventory management, product tracking and record keeping, cannabis regulations, customer services and fulfillment, procurement assistance, logistics strategy, distribution. Industry-Wide Technical Competencies: Cultural competency, production, compliance, supply chain logistics, cannabis history, quality assurance, continuous improvement, sustainable and renewable, user and customer support, process and equipment health safety, secure and environment, cannabis law, create and maintain cannabis standard operating procedures. Workplace Competencies: business fundamentals, teamwork, creative thinking, customer focus, planning and organizing, problem solving and decision making, working with tools and technology, checking, examining and recording, sustainable practices, scheduling and coordinating. Academic Competencies: science and technology, basic computer skills, mathematics, reading, writing, communication, critical and analytical thinking. Personal Effectiveness Competencies: interpersonal skills, integrity, professionalism, initiative, dependability and reliability, lifelong learning, adaptability and flexibility. Based on: Building Blocks for Competency Modes - Foundational Competencies, Employment and Training Administration, United States Department, of Labor, February 2025. For more detailed information about competency model creation and sources, visit dli.mn.gov/business/workforce/legal-cannabis-industry.
Competency Model for Cannabis Logistics and Inventory Specialist Cannabis Logistics and Inventory Specialist – This role leads the picking, packing, and shipping of inventory for consumer and medical cannabis sales. It also oversees inventory and production counts; tracks inventory throughout the production-to-sale process and ensures adequate stock levels. Additional responsibilities include supporting compliance and quality management, assisting with forecast planning, and helping build and maintain vendor relationships. *Pipeline recommends the Industry-Sector Technical Competencies as formal training opportunities (provided through related instruction) and the Occupation-Specific Competencies as on-the-job (OJT) training opportunities. Industry-Sector Technical Competencies Related Instruction for dual training means the organized and systematic form of education resulting in the enhancement of skills and competencies related to the dual trainee’s current or intended occupation. • Demand planning – Demonstrate proficiency with planning to fill existing and future demand for product. • Basic business math and accounting – Know how to do the basic functions of math to track orders, purchases, shipments, etc. and potentially use accounting software to assist in this process as well. • Warehousing – Demonstrate proficiency with efficient storage and control of the environment within a warehouse or other storage facility in a manufacturing setting. • Inventory management – Demonstrate the ability to manage a warehouse or storage facility of inventory for a cannabis facility. • Product tracking and record keeping – Know how to properly track cannabis product and cannabis flower so that it is properly labeled and ready for sale. Know how to ensure that the cannabis being sold has records from plant production through all cycles of growth, harvest, packaging, manufacturing, distribution, and eventually sales.
• Cannabis regulations – Knowledge of the current state and local regulations governing the growth and production of cannabis flowers, cannabis plants and cannabis products in Minnesota. Understand regulations surrounding sale of cannabis and rules pertaining to cannabis transportation and warehousing as well. • Customer service and fulfillment – Demonstrate proficiency in high quality customer service, both in written and oral communication. • Procurement assistance – Understand the methods for ensuring resources are available to purchase resources to have success in meeting orders and needs of the cannabis business. • Logistics strategy – Understand the theory and application of on-the-ground approaches to ensuring adequate materials are available to meet demand. • Distribution – Understand all transportation systems comprising the movement of goods and services from within the cannabis production site to the product delivery to the customer to ensure job completion. Occupation-Specific Competencies On-the-Job Training is hands-on instruction completed at work to learn the core competencies necessary to succeed in an occupation. Common types of OJT include job shadowing, mentorship, cohort-based training, assignment-based project evaluation and discussion-based training. • Perform warehouse operations – Understanding of warehouse operations, unique to organization, and practice throughout field for cannabis. • Use and train others on tracking software – Know how to use tracking software such as Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting Compliance (METRC) to ensure compliance when handling and selling cannabis. Know how to train other staff how to properly use tracking software. • Conduct customer service procedures – Clear communication, both written and oral, to ensure a content customer. • Oversee receiving – Know how to ensure that supplies and product being received meet quality and compliance standards and are route appropriately within the cannabis business. • Assist with purchasing – Understanding of the acquisition of goods or services to achieve cannabis organization goals. • Analyze logistics design – Understand how to develop and interpret logistics designs both within the field and unique to the cannabis company.
• Report inventory levels to leadership – Know how to create reports of the inventory levels of both product and supplies and share those reports with organization leadership to help inform them of business decisions for the company. • Assess production control capacity – Demonstrated understanding of organizational need to produce inventory to have on hand, without creating waste for the cannabis company. • Plan production and materials required – Managing the ability to meet product orders by first ensuring the business has systems, tools, and employees to take on new product and ensuring that enough materials are available to go forward with production of cannabis product. Updated December 2025
1.What is your general impression of the occupation-specific competencies? (i.e. the things someone would typically learn through on-the-job-training)
2.Are there any occupation-specific competencies you would like to see edited, added or eliminated?  Please write your suggestions if you have any.
3.Please share any suggested edits to the occupation-specific competency definitions.
4.What is your general impression of the industry-sector technical competencies? (i.e. what will typically be learned through formal related instruction to succeed in this specific occupation/ sector)
5.Are there any industry-sector technical competencies you would like to see edited, added or eliminated?  Please write your suggestions if you have any.
6.Please share any suggested edits to the industry-sector technical definitions.
7.What is your general impression of the industry-wide technical competencies (i.e. what will typically be learned through related instruction for a broad range of occupations working in the industry).
8.Are there any industry-wide technical competencies you would like to see edited, added or eliminated?  Please write your suggestions if you have any.
9.Finally, please let us know if you have any other suggested edits or comments on the remainder of the pyramid.
10.Please let us know what sector you work in.(Required.)
11.Contact information