The Michigan State University Institute of Agricultural Technology (IAT) Expands Food Processing, Technology and Safety Workforce Training

U.S. Dept. of Education grant allows MSU to enhance successful food workforce development program

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State University Institute of Agricultural Technology (IAT) is expanding its Food Processing, Technology and Safety (FPTS) workforce training program with funding from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). 

The IAT Food Processing, Technology and Safety certificate program, launched in fall 2019, trains students on the processes and technologies used to convert commodities into consumable food products. Graduates of the program receive an MSU certificate and an associate degree from IAT’s community college partners. 

The U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) will provide approximately $2.36 million over four years to support this initiative. Full funding for the project comes from FIPSE and MSU IAT. 

The DOE grant will allow IAT to increase the number of community college partners offering the program from three to 11, allowing more Michiganders access to short-term, industry-aligned education that leads directly to jobs in the state’s food and agriculture sector, said Jeno Rivera, director of MSU IAT.

Funding will allow IAT to hire personnel to support community college coordinators managing expanded program delivery and industry engagement. Funds will also be available to support learners through student scholarships, alleviating financial barriers to enrollment, persistence and completion.

Increased Academic Flexibility

FPTS will be offered as a flexible, 15-credit concentration within the IAT Agricultural Operations Certificate Program and Associate of Applied Sciences degree programs at partner community colleges. IAT will continue to offer FPTS as a stand-alone 15-credit certificate program, and the program will be divided into “micro-credentials” that can also be taken as individual courses, Rivera said.

“This funding allows IAT to create new programming and increase access to FPTS. We have the faculty, resources and facilities to offer FPTS as short-term, stackable micro-credentials that can stand alone or stack into certificates and degrees, making it easier for working adults, incumbent workers and career changers to participate,” Rivera said. “The program implements new industry-specific micro-credentials co-designed with food processing and technology employers across Michigan.”

IAT community college partners are Delta College, Kellogg Community College, Muskegon Community College, Bay College, Glen Oaks Community College, Monroe County Community College, Montcalm Community College, Northwest Michigan College, Southwestern Michigan College, West Shore Community College and St. Clair County Community College (SC4).

Program Designed with Industry Partners

Rivera said input from the state of Michigan and workforce partners, including the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), Michigan Works! and industry partners from Michigan’s licensed food processors, was essential for co-designing curriculum, offering work-based learning and hiring graduates.

DOE funding will allow MSU IAT to work with partners across the state to build an online talent marketplace integrated with Michigan Works! that enables students to showcase credentials and employers to recruit talent statewide. 

Michigan Works! is the first statewide, unified workforce development system in the country. Members serve as private sector leaders and partners whose work drives economic activity and strategic growth in their communities. 

Carol Distel leads the Agribusiness Talent Council (ATC) at West Michigan Works!, one of 16 regional coverage areas across the state. Distel collaborates with employers, educators, workforce partners and community organizations to strengthen the agribusiness and food processing talent pipeline across west Michigan. 

“The Agribusiness Talent Council has consistently partnered with MSU Institute of Agricultural Technology and community colleges in our area (Montcalm Community College and Muskegon Community College) to elevate awareness of careers in food processing and connect students to high-quality training pathways,” Distel said. “Through career exploration events such as MiCareerQuest, Career AG-xploration, Discover Manufacturing Week and employer site visits, we have actively highlighted Food Processing Technology and Safety careers as accessible, in-demand and essential to Michigan’s economy.”

Distel said expanding access to the FPTS program will enhance Michigan’s workforce through wider recruitment and retention, giving more workers across the state the advanced skills needed to lead Michigan’s food industry.

“Students gain awareness and visibility into food processing and safety careers. Graduates enter the workforce with industry-recognized skills. This allows us to increase collaboration between education providers and food processors to reinforce curriculum and provide hands-on learning experiences,” Distel said.

At Kellogg Community College (KCC), where students can earn an associate degree in agricultural sciences alongside the FPTS certificate, program coordinators report strong outcomes tied to this dual-credential model. Students gain technical and professional skills through hands-on labs, clerkships and internships with local food processing employers, strengthening their preparation for Michigan’s workforce.

“The MSU IAT and community college partnership is vital because it combines the accessibility of community colleges with the industry-driven curriculum of MSU IAT,” said Katelyn Kelley, MSU IAT program coordinator at Kellogg Community College. “This collaboration creates a seamless pathway for students to earn credentials efficiently while staying connected to their local communities and employers.”

Food Service Industry in Michigan

Michigan’s food and agriculture sector employs over 400,000 people and contributes approximately $104.7 billion annually, yet more than 15,000 food processing jobs remain unfilled as employers struggle to find qualified workers. (Michigan Center for Data and Analytics, 2023; Michigan Economic Development Corporation, 2025).

Many of these jobs are in rural or high-poverty regions where residents face barriers to traditional campus-based programs; mobile labs and short-term credentials reduce those barriers and create faster routes to family-sustaining careers, Rivera said.

By aligning with Workforce Pell and employer-defined competencies, the program opens doors for low-income and nontraditional learners who need aid-eligible, job-focused training and better on-ramps into Michigan’s food processing workforce (U.S. Department of Education, 2025).

Distel said micro-credentials allow for flexibility in both the needs of the student and the needs of the workforce.

“Providing micro-credentials allows students and businesses to pursue advanced training in specific areas, giving students and employees access to move into advanced roles and leadership positions within companies,” Distel said. “Micro-credentials are designed to be short and provide practical, in-demand skills for employees. For older job seekers who are moving into a food processing career, micro-credentials enable them to access specific skills-based training in a short amount of time without the heavy price tag.”

Growing the Mobile Food Lab

Funding will also support the development of a second mobile food processing lab that will be available for students at community colleges around the state. The mobile food processing lab is part of the FPTS program, offering hands-on experiences to students at community college locations, ensuring they have the skills necessary to perform effectively in the food processing industry.

The mobile lab mirrors what students will see in the industry once they graduate, just at a smaller scale. The trailer lab was built to demonstrate the need for food-grade processing, as well as meet the demands of curriculum for the FPTS certificate program. The mobile lab will deliver hands-on training to the IAT community college partners, reducing the need for infrastructure investments at each school.

Community college coordinators, including Kelley, emphasize that these hands-on experiences are essential for preparing students with the technical and professional skills employers expect.

“We will be able to deploy an additional, smaller, more flexible mobile food processing lab, with enhanced capabilities such as processing meat, to bring hands-on training directly to rural communities, community college campuses and employer sites,” Rivera said. “A second mobile lab will allow simultaneous training at multiple college and employer locations, significantly increasing capacity and reach.”