Training the next generation of manufacturing talent

For more than 155 years, our production teams have helped bring the food people love to tables across the country. Now we're investing in the next generation of manufacturing talent.

The Campbell's Company is partnering with Per Scholas to launch its first Advanced Manufacturing Technician training program starting with a first cohort in Greater Milwaukee, supported by our $500,000 investment. The free, 15-week program will provide more than 400 hours of hands-on technical training to 25 learners, preparing them for skilled careers in modern manufacturing.

About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a national nonprofit that provides free technology and technical training to help individuals build careers and advance economic mobility across the United States. More than 35,000 graduates have successfully launched careers in a variety of industries through Per Scholas' training.

Why Campbell's is investing in manufacturing talent

Manufacturing is becoming more advanced, and the skills required on the production floor are changing with it. Technicians today need expertise across electrical systems, machinery and increasingly complex computer and digital technologies.

At the same time, manufacturing across the U.S. faces a shortfall of up to 1.9 million workers by 2033. Investing in skilled talent helps us prepare for the future by creating new pathways into manufacturing in the communities where we operate, while supporting broader economic mobility in the neighborhoods we call home.

How the Advanced Manufacturing Technician program was developed

The Advanced Manufacturing Technician program is the result of a year-long collaboration between Campbell's and Per Scholas. To learn what entry-level technicians really need, Per Scholas:

• Visited Campbell's facilities and observed our high-speed production lines in action
• Conducted a benchmarking study of more than 200 technicians
• Identified key skills gaps in electrical systems, programmable logic controllers, and industrial controls

That research shaped a new curriculum of more than 400 hours, built around the real technical demands of today's production environments.

Inside the Advanced Manufacturing Technician program

The first cohort runs 15 weeks and prepares learners for roles such as Manufacturing Technician and Automation Technician. Training covers:

• Industrial electricity and motor-driven systems
• Fluid power
• Troubleshooting and precision maintenance
• Industry-recognized safety credentials, including OSHA-10 and NFPA 70E

Our $500,000 investment included a $250,000 feasibility grant to help inform the development of the program, and $250,000 to fund the inaugural cohort. Because of this investment, learners pay nothing to participate.

"We're proud to support the launch of this program and strengthen the talent pipeline our industry depends on." - Brendan Washington, senior vice president of manufacturing for The Campbell's Company

"Our partnership with The Campbell's Company allows us to build this program from the ground up around the needs of modern manufacturing." - Caitlyn Brazill, President of Per Scholas

Expanding the Advanced Manufacturing Technician model

Greater Milwaukee is just the beginning. With additional support from Focusing Philanthropy, Per Scholas plans to use what it learns here to explore how the model could be adapted for other communities with strong manufacturing economies and demand for skilled technical talent.

By partnering to train skilled technicians, we're helping to strengthen the workforce behind our food and create new opportunities in our communities. To learn more and apply for the program, visit here.