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On January 8, the Tyson Foods, Inc. facility in Caseyville hosted a graduation ceremony for seven employees who earned alternative digital credentials, also known as digital badges, from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Students began their on-site training for digital badges in Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA) in October, just months after a $180 million expansion of the facility, which brought a significant increase in staff.

“This is makes me feel really good because I know my team has been skilled up,” said Vanesa Sutton, Food Safety Quality Assurance General Manager. “They really put their time and heart in it. So for them to be rewarded like this is a great feeling for me.”

In August 2022 Governor JB Pritzker and other state and local officials announced the Tyson Foods, Inc. expansion, which added more than 220 jobs the following year. There are now a total of 397 employees at the Caseyville facility.

“I believe this collaboration was absolutely needed to get our FSQA technicians to where they need to be and aspire to be world class,” said Milisa Holliman, safety manager at Tyson Foods. “We have a gold standard that we set for our team members and we are super excited for this collaboration. So congratulations to all of our 2023 graduates.”

Maggie Ervin, specialist of Alternative Credit and Credentials with SIUE Online Services and Educational Outreach recalls how she and Natalie Whitman, coordinator of the SIUE collaboration, laid some of the groundwork when learning of Tyson Foods’ interest in the program.

“We got to know Tyson and the plant manager from job fairs. We heard that they needed some training in the area of FSQA, and we worked to tailor the course to their program,” said Ervin. “We started it in October, and they finished in December with five digital badges.”

An instructor worked with the students on Fridays and conducted one-on-one training when needed. Hands-on work in the Tyson labs “made a huge difference,” said Allison Meyer, class valedictorian. “You could have brought all the materials and everything here but to be in your lab to see how it should be set up was really helpful.”

Meyer, a resident of Troy, received a master's in business and a bachelor's in marketing prior to her enrollment with SIUE. “I started as an intern recruiter in FSQA last year in January. And then I joined the FSQA team. I'm excited to see what kind of careers are down the road to get you to that next level,” said Meyer.

“I did want to say thank you to SIUE for letting us learn on site. After going through this program, I'm applying the skills day by day with my teammates, who I am able to bounce off questions. It's been phenomenal.”

“It was absolute magic to see the joy in not only the graduates but the people who are part of their Tyson community as well. They were so joyful and so proud,” said Whitman who met with employees on Saturdays. “We will meet you where you are.”

“We can bring these programs to people as opposed to them having to just come to us, and it can be no less transformative outside of the grounds of the University,” said Ervin.

With the 170,000 square foot Tyson Foods Caseyville expansion came an increase in production of Hillshire Farm® and Jimmy Dean® products, as well as grab-n-go snacking and breakfast items. Tyson generates $933 million in output in Illinois alone, with more than 4,000 current full-time staff in Illinois.

Sutton feels the benefits to both the company and employees are clear. “When I first took the position, I told my manager one of the biggest things is that I would like to develop the 15 people under me to corporate level. So that's like my thing. I would like all of them for some day to be managers.” 

PHOTOS: Natalie Whitman, SIUE coordinator of Alternative Credit and Credentials with SIUE Online Services and Educational Outreach, Allison Meyer, Heather Frankenfield, Jamilla Franklin, Edie Smith, Erica Sieber, Bryanna Brendel, Leticia Rosales, Vanesa Sutton, Food Safety Quality Assurance General Manager; Natalie Whitman, graduate Edie Smith, SIUE Provost Denise Cobb, PhD; Class valedictorian Allison Meyer; Cake decorated with congratulations to all of the graduates