KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Nov. 2, 2026 — WorkForge, a leader in frontline workforce development for the food manufacturing industry, today unveiled WorkForge Shift, a new training and competency platform designed specifically for food and beverage manufacturers, at the American Food Manufacturing Summit 2027.
The launch comes as food manufacturers contend with average annual turnover of 40% and the expected retirement of approximately 25% of food plant workers by 2030, increasing pressure to onboard employees quickly, preserve institutional knowledge and maintain operational consistency.
Unlike traditional learning management systems that focus primarily on course completion, WorkForge Shift combines multilingual training, competency management, skills tracking and supervisor-led validation to help manufacturers confirm employees can perform critical job functions safely and consistently.
“Across the food manufacturing industry, training is too often measured by completion rather than competency,” said Laura Dunn Nelson, vice president of product management, food safety and strategic alliances at WorkForge. “WorkForge Shift gives supervisors a practical way to verify that employees can do the job safely and correctly, and document that competency at scale. Just as important, it helps build strong food safety and safety cultures, where every employee understands their role, is recognized for doing the right thing, and is part of a team committed to continuous improvement.”
WorkForge Shift helps food manufacturers capture knowledge, develop skills and maintain workforce readiness through:
- Content Builder: Creates multiple types of training content and translates it into more than 20 languages.
- Behavior Checks: Provides supervisor-led skills validation and auditable competency records.
- Skill Tracks: Provides visibility into workforce qualifications and recertification requirements.
- Learning Plans: Automates training management and assigns and renews training by role.
- Audit-ready reporting: Provides instant access to training, competency and compliance records.
The platform supports plant leadership, HR and training teams, food safety and quality professionals, operations leaders and frontline employees through a single workforce development system.
By expanding beyond traditional compliance-driven models, WorkForge delivers training that is more engaging, more effective and better aligned with the needs of today’s workforce.
Learn more at www.workforge.com/shift or contact info@workforge.com.
About WorkForge
WorkForge is reshaping the landscape of learning and development in the food manufacturing industry. Its comprehensive solution provides a one-stop shop for off-the-shelf and customizable content, the WorkForge Shift training platform and expert consulting services. WorkForge creates bespoke learning experiences where employees can access tailored training at their convenience, promoting universal learning across diverse environments and devices. Rooted in educational best practices, its content is delivered in written, spoken and visual formats.
WorkForge doesn’t just focus on compliance training; it prioritizes competency development to address critical issues like an aging workforce, skills shortages and technological advancements. By fostering critical thinking and enhancing workplace satisfaction, WorkForge drives peak performance throughout the entire workforce.
