GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Marijuana is coming to Grand Rapids, and with the new industry will come new jobs. On Thursday, a job fair will bring job seekers together with employers.

Economists say there is no faster growing industry in the U.S. than the marijuana business. Industry experts expect a 220% increase in employment this year. With Grand Rapids starting to approve medical marijuana facilities and the state working out recreational marijuana rules within the year, our area is going to see a reflection of that.

Matt Hoffmann is a longtime marijuana business advocate who now operates HandGrown.jobs, a site that connects marijuana industry employers with people looking for jobs. He is planning a job fair for between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. at 1167 Madison Ave. SE, the LINC-UP offices.

On the HandGrown.jobs Facebook page, nearly 700 people have committed to go and more than 2,000 have expressed interest.

The kind of jobs available include things like budtender, lab technicians, trimmers and people in charge with keeping the centers in compliance.

“All you have to do is come with an attitude and a willingness to learn and you can build a career,” Hoffman said. “This is an opportunity for real career development, to start as a bud tender and end up in 15 years as the CEO of a company.”

You can say you’re going to the job fair on its Facebook page.