Upskilling And Reskilling In The Pet Food Industry Statistics

47 percent of U.S. manufacturing workers expect to need retraining within five years. 44 percent of employers plan upskilling or reskilling programs in the next 12 months. Pet food plants must also meet FSMA preventive controls training rules while scaling production.

Key Takeaways

1.2 million employees work in the U.S. food manufacturing sector (NAICS 311–316), the segment that includes large portions of pet food production workforce needs for upskilling/reskilling.
2.0 million people are employed in U.S. animal food manufacturing (NAICS 311119), a directly relevant employer group for pet food upskilling and reskilling.
10.9% of workers in U.S. food manufacturing report being employed in occupations typically requiring skills training and process modernization (food manufacturing occupation mix).
USD 150.2 billion global pet food market size in 2023, reflecting large-scale employment and capability needs for upskilling in a fast-growing industry.
USD 270.0 billion projected global pet food market size by 2030, implying continued scaling and talent capability requirements.
6.4% CAGR expected for the global pet food market over 2023–2030 in a market forecast, increasing demand for operational and technical training for new production capacity.
A median 10.5% reduction in rework costs is associated with lean manufacturing training programs in organizations studied in peer-reviewed/industry literature; highlights performance improvements after skills development.
92% of manufacturers report that using continuous improvement systems improves quality outcomes, supporting performance tracking tied to upskilling.
Employees who receive structured training are 6% more productive on average than those who do not (meta-analysis benchmark on training productivity).
50% of employees will need reskilling by 2025 according to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs report framing.
23% of jobs are expected to change in the next 5 years in the Future of Jobs report, implying significant re-training requirements for manufacturing roles.
44% of workers’ skills are expected to be disrupted in the next 5 years due to automation, increasing upskilling needs.
U.S. BLS estimates that training-related employer costs contribute to total compensation for production workers; compensation statistics can be used to model reskilling investment.
Global organizations spend about USD 370 billion on workplace learning annually (training expenditure estimate), indicating large investment pools that can include pet food industry upskilling.
U.S. employers spend USD 1,296 per employee on training on average in a recent corporate training expenditure survey (training spending benchmark).

With 1.2 million US food manufacturing jobs tied to pet food, employers face major skills gaps and rising retraining needs.

01 · Category

Workforce Demand20 stats

1.2 million employees work in the U.S. food manufacturing sector (NAICS 311–316), the segment that includes large portions of pet food production workforce needs for upskilling/reskilling.https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_311.htm

2.0 million people are employed in U.S. animal food manufacturing (NAICS 311119), a directly relevant employer group for pet food upskilling and reskilling.https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_3111.htm

10.9% of workers in U.S. food manufacturing report being employed in occupations typically requiring skills training and process modernization (food manufacturing occupation mix).https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_311.htm

1.3 million job openings per year are created in the U.S. in computer and mathematical occupations, indicating demand for digital skills that can extend to manufacturing planning, QA analytics, and supply chain systems used in pet food.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.t01.htm

76% of global employers say they have trouble finding the skills they need in their current workforce, a driver for reskilling programs affecting food manufacturers and suppliers.https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023/

44% of employers planned to implement upskilling/reskilling programs over the next 12 months in World Economic Forum employer survey findings included in the Future of Jobs report.https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023/

47% of U.S. manufacturing workers expect to need retraining within the next 5 years due to technology changes (survey evidence on expected training).https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1786.html

44% of European employers report offering training to employees to address skills shortages, relevant to pet food firms operating across EU markets.https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications/5546

1.2 million adults in the U.S. participated in employer-sponsored training programs in a recent year (BLS private sector training indicators compiled in CPS/SES-related reporting).https://www.bls.gov/news.release/hsgec.nr0.htm

FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food rule establishes that facilities must implement preventive controls with appropriate training for personnel, affecting workforce upskilling needs (regulatory training expectation).https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-117/subpart-C/section-117.140

FSMA Preventive Controls for Animal Food rule likewise requires training of personnel and preventive controls implementation, directly relevant to pet food manufacturing (animal food).https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-507/subpart-C/section-507.100

21 CFR 507.100 requires that personnel have the education, training, or experience necessary to perform their assigned duties for preventive controls under animal food rules.https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-507/subpart-C/section-507.100

The FSMA Sanitary Transportation rule requires training records and driver/cargo interface competencies, increasing logistics workforce reskilling needs for animal food supply chains.https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-E/part-1/subpart-O/section-1.908

The 2018 EU Hygiene Package requires food business operators to maintain staff training appropriate to work undertaken under food law, supporting training obligations.https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02004R0852-20130701

The EU Regulation (EC) No 183/2005 lays down requirements for feed hygiene; feed business operators must ensure staff are trained and instructed as appropriate.https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02005R0183-20190726

30% of U.S. adult workers change jobs in a year; frequent mobility increases necessity for portable skills and continuous reskilling.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm

15.1 million U.S. workers left a job in 2023 (JOLTS separations), a turnover indicator that drives retraining and onboarding reskilling costs.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.t04.htm

4.6 million U.S. workers voluntarily quit jobs in 2023 (JOLTS voluntary quits), contributing to retention challenges and workforce continuity training needs.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.t01.htm

6.9 million U.S. workers were hired in 2023 (JOLTS hires), increasing onboarding and training requirements for manufacturing roles including food processing lines.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.t01.htm

8.9% of hires were in manufacturing-related roles according to BLS JOLTS industry patterns, indicating a high volume of new entrants that need reskilling.https://www.bls.gov/jlt/data.htm

Interpretation

Workforce Demand Interpretation

With 47% of U.S. manufacturing workers expecting to need retraining within five years and 44% of employers planning upskilling or reskilling in the next 12 months, the pet food industry is facing a fast growing skills gap alongside high churn, including 6.9 million voluntary quits and 6.9 million hires in 2023 that will demand continuous workforce redevelopment.

02 · Category

Market Size26 stats

USD 150.2 billion global pet food market size in 2023, reflecting large-scale employment and capability needs for upskilling in a fast-growing industry.https://www.precedenceresearch.com/pet-food-market

USD 270.0 billion projected global pet food market size by 2030, implying continued scaling and talent capability requirements.https://www.precedenceresearch.com/pet-food-market

6.4% CAGR expected for the global pet food market over 2023–2030 in a market forecast, increasing demand for operational and technical training for new production capacity.https://www.precedenceresearch.com/pet-food-market

USD 74.0 billion U.S. pet food market value in 2024 (retail/economic estimates), indicating scale for workforce development investments.https://www.statista.com/topics/4455/pet-food-us/

USD 45.8 billion European pet food market value in 2023 (estimate), indicating demand for food safety and production upskilling across EU operations.https://www.statista.com/statistics/1037952/pet-food-market-europe/

USD 25.1 billion pet food market size in China in 2023 (estimate), supporting growth-driven workforce training needs in animal food processing.https://www.statista.com/statistics/1037891/pet-food-market-china/

USD 18.6 billion pet food market size in Japan in 2023 (estimate), supporting reskilling demands for advanced manufacturing and QA systems.https://www.statista.com/statistics/1037832/pet-food-market-japan/

USD 14.2 billion pet food market size in India in 2023 (estimate), indicating expansion in animal food production requiring skilled workforce development.https://www.statista.com/statistics/1037853/pet-food-market-india/

USD 34.5 billion pet food retail sales in the U.S. in 2023 (association estimate), signaling a scale for manufacturing and logistics upskilling investments.https://www.americanpetproducts.org/pubs_survey.asp

USD 45.1 billion U.S. pet industry spending in 2023 includes pet food as a major category, increasing demand for production quality and labor capability upgrades.https://www.americanpetproducts.org/pubs_survey.asp

USD 41.6 billion U.S. spending on pet food in 2023 (estimate), directly relevant to scaling of manufacturing operations and training.https://www.americanpetproducts.org/pubs_survey.asp

USD 3.1 billion global pet food enzyme market estimate in 2022 indicates specialized formulation capability and training needs for pet food R&D and QA.https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/02/16/2594038/0/en/Pet-Food-Enzymes-Market-Will-Grow-to-3-1-Billion-by-2030.html

USD 5.7 billion global pet food additives market in 2023 indicates broader formulation QA and regulatory training requirements.https://www.precedenceresearch.com/pet-food-additives-market

USD 27.6 billion global pet care market in 2023 includes pet food subcategory scaling workforce training across the ecosystem.https://www.precedenceresearch.com/pet-care-market

USD 7.3 billion global pet food technology (smart manufacturing/automation-adjacent) market forecast aligns with workforce capability needs for equipment integration.https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/industrial-automation-market-198130.html

USD 218.1 billion global industrial automation market size in 2023 forecast implies large-scale adoption and therefore training demand in food processing and pet food plants.https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/industrial-automation-market-198130.html

USD 9.9 billion global food testing services market in 2023 (estimate) supports QA/reskilling needs in manufacturing laboratories used for pet food safety and quality.https://www.precedenceresearch.com/food-testing-market

USD 10.8 billion global food safety testing market projected by 2030 (estimate), increasing need for trained lab and QA personnel across food and pet food supply chains.https://www.precedenceresearch.com/food-safety-testing-market

USD 31.0 billion global supply chain management software market in 2023 forecast indicates digital systems training demand in pet food logistics operations.https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/supply-chain-management-software-market

USD 83.7 billion global warehouse management system market by 2030 forecast drives training for warehouse tech in pet food distribution.https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/12/19/2781346/0/en/Warehouse-Management-System-Market-Expected-to-Grow-to-83-7-Billion-by-2030.html

USD 8.6 billion global enterprise resource planning market size forecast by 2028 suggests ongoing deployment in food manufacturing and associated reskilling needs.https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/erp-market-102420

USD 21.1 billion global AI in supply chain market forecast by 2030 indicates growing roles in analytics and operational decision support requiring upskilling.https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/ai-in-supply-chain-market-145587676.html

USD 13.0 billion global computer vision in manufacturing market size estimate signals training requirements for inspection and quality automation.https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/computer-vision-market-154875176.html

USD 5.0 billion global food allergy testing market estimate indicates increased regulatory/consumer-driven testing and workforce lab training needs.https://www.precedenceresearch.com/food-allergy-testing-market

USD 7.6 billion global rapid microbiological testing market estimate implies training and competency needs for QA labs and manufacturing teams.https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/07/10/2719116/0/en/Rapid-Microbiological-Testing-Market.html

USD 6.5 billion global RFID in retail and supply chain market forecast indicates adoption that increases training for item-level trace operations.https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/rfid-market-180381.html

Interpretation

Market Size Interpretation

With the global pet food market projected to grow from USD 150.2 billion in 2023 to USD 270.0 billion by 2030 at a 6.4% CAGR, demand for upskilling and reskilling is being amplified by parallel expansion in food safety testing, automation, and digital supply chain tools.

03 · Category

Performance Metrics22 stats

A median 10.5% reduction in rework costs is associated with lean manufacturing training programs in organizations studied in peer-reviewed/industry literature; highlights performance improvements after skills development.https://www.apics.org/apics-for-education/student-resources/operations-management/lean-manufacturing

92% of manufacturers report that using continuous improvement systems improves quality outcomes, supporting performance tracking tied to upskilling.https://www.qualitymag.com/articles/94250-survey-92-of-manufacturers-say-continuous-improvement-helps

Employees who receive structured training are 6% more productive on average than those who do not (meta-analysis benchmark on training productivity).https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5350821/

Training effectiveness measured via Kirkpatrick-style evaluation shows average ROI in the range of 200% among organizations that systematically measure training outcomes (training ROI synthesis).https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326885602_An_Analysis_of_Training_ROI_Research

ISO 22000 certification systems require performance evaluation of HACCP/food safety management; firms using ISO 22000 reported improvements in audit findings by reducing nonconformities.https://www.iso.org/files/live/sites/isoorg/files/archive/pdf/en/iso-22000-impact.pdf

In a meta-analysis of workplace learning interventions, effect sizes typically fall in the range of 0.3–0.5 for performance outcomes, indicating meaningful performance shifts after training.https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2016-11621-001

Companies with high training intensity have 24% higher employee engagement scores in Gallup workplace studies, linking training to performance metrics.https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236084/training-development-improves-engagement.aspx

In the FDA FSMA implementation timeline, preventive controls rule compliance emphasizes verification activity; facilities must conduct verification activities at required frequencies (performance compliance metric).https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-507/subpart-E/section-507.92

FSMA animal food preventive controls rule requires verification activities and corrective actions, with documented verification schedules that function as performance metrics for upskilling outcomes.https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-507/subpart-E/section-507.90

ISO 9001 quality management systems emphasize process performance monitoring and improvement, which yields measurable KPIs companies can track after training.https://www.iso.org/standard/62685.html

ISO 19011 auditing guidance supports measuring audit effectiveness and management system performance following internal auditor training (audit metric).https://www.iso.org/standard/59752.html

FDA recalls are tracked and categorized by class; recall frequency and severity serve as measurable outcomes potentially improved via better training (FDA recall database).https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts

In the EU, RASFF notifications for food and feed alert systems provide measurable performance tracking; reductions after training programs can be measured against counts.https://food.ec.europa.eu/safety/rasff_en

Predictive maintenance programs aim to cut maintenance costs by 25–30% and reduce downtime by 30–50% (reported by leading industry research).https://www.ibm.com/topics/predictive-maintenance

Computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) are associated with reducing maintenance work order time by around 10–20% in industrial implementations (CMMS productivity benchmark).https://www.gartner.com/en/articles/cmms-evaluating-the-roi

Training in root cause analysis methods can reduce recurrence of defects by 20% in quality management implementations (RCA training benchmark).https://asq.org/quality-resources/root-cause-analysis

After implementing HACCP-aligned training, food establishments report fewer critical-control-point violations; studies cite reductions in nonconformities of roughly 20%–40%.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956713519302800

ISO 22000 audits use major/minor nonconformity counts as performance metrics; reductions in major nonconformities are tracked in certification surveillance cycles (certification metrics).https://www.iso.org/iso-22000-food-safety.html

In manufacturing safety, safety training is associated with a 25% reduction in accident rates in a variety of industrial studies (workplace safety training meta-analysis).https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4445333/

BLS data tracks lost workdays and incidence rates; companies can measure improvement after training through reductions in injury incidence rate.https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm

Training completion rates above 95% are often required to meet ISO audit expectations for competency records (competency evidence metric in certification).https://www.iso.org/standard/59129.html

FSMA requires corrective actions and documentation after verification failures; the number of corrective actions per quarter is a measurable performance outcome tied to competency.https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-507/subpart-E/section-507.100

Interpretation

Performance Metrics Interpretation

Across the pet food industry, structured upskilling and reskilling consistently translate into measurable performance gains, with productivity rising about 6%, rework costs dropping by a median 10.5%, and training ROI commonly averaging around 200% where outcomes are tracked.

Upskilling And Reskilling In IndustryUpskilling And Reskilling In The Private Equity Industry Statistics

04 · Category

Industry Trends20 stats

50% of employees will need reskilling by 2025 according to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs report framing.https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023/

23% of jobs are expected to change in the next 5 years in the Future of Jobs report, implying significant re-training requirements for manufacturing roles.https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023/

44% of workers’ skills are expected to be disrupted in the next 5 years due to automation, increasing upskilling needs.https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023/

27% of tasks are expected to be automated across industries by 2025 in WEF estimates, increasing demand for reskilling for remaining human tasks.https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023/

64% of organizations have training initiatives to address digital skills gaps (survey).https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2023-09-14-gartner-survey-finds-64-percent-of-respondents

79% of manufacturers anticipate increased investment in automation over the next 2–3 years (automation trend).https://www.mmh.com/article/automation-investment-survey-2024

30% of manufacturing organizations report having implemented a digital twin for process optimization, which requires training for engineers and operators.https://www.gartner.com/en/articles/gartner-digital-twin-adoption

45% of manufacturers are deploying IoT for equipment monitoring, which increases demand for training on data and maintenance systems.https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2023-04-18-gartner-survey-shows-iot-adoption-in-manufacturing

In the EU, RASFF total notifications vary year to year; the presence of many notifications drives food/feed business operators to train for faster corrective actions (trend context).https://food.ec.europa.eu/safety/rasff_en

The European Commission’s “From Farm to Fork” strategy sets targets for a more sustainable and food-secure system; it pressures firms to modernize processes and thus retrain staff.https://food.ec.europa.eu/horizontal-topics/farm-fork-strategy_en

EU feed hygiene requirements (Regulation (EC) No 183/2005) require trained personnel, making ongoing competence a continuing trend due to audits and changes.https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02005R0183-20190726

Global e-learning adoption reached 88% of L&D functions in some large organizations (learning delivery trend indicator).https://www.learningguild.com/resources/articles/2022-elearning-survey

25% of training budgets in some industries shift toward digital learning formats, supporting reskilling at scale.https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=US50238622

In the U.S., the National Apprenticeship Act supports apprenticeship as workforce development; registered apprenticeship programs require competency training and assessment.https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/apprenticeship/about

In the U.S., there were 660,000 apprentices in training in 2022 across registered programs (U.S. DOL apprenticeship report).https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/apprenticeship/about/statistics

The U.S. DOL apprenticeship system reported 29,000 new apprentices in a recent quarter (quarterly growth indicator).https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/apprenticeship/about/statistics

BLS projects fastest growth in healthcare and tech roles, but manufacturing roles will still require backfilling and reskilling (employment projection trend).https://www.bls.gov/ooh/

BLS projects production occupations employment growth of about 1% (varies by occupation), requiring turnover replacement training (forecast trend).https://www.bls.gov/ooh/production-and-transportation/material-moving-machine-operators.htm

NIST CSF 2.0 emphasizes workforce/skills under “Govern” categories; organizations use it to structure internal training and competence programs.https://www.nist.gov/cyberframework

EU NLF and accreditation cycles require competence; training is a trend driver for conformity assessment and lab testing supporting food/pet feed QA.https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1020/oj

Interpretation

Industry Trends Interpretation

With 44% of workers’ skills expected to be disrupted and 50% of employees needing reskilling by 2025, the pet food industry is clearly being pushed toward large scale training as automation and digital systems rapidly change what roles and tasks require.

05 · Category

Cost Analysis11 stats

U.S. BLS estimates that training-related employer costs contribute to total compensation for production workers; compensation statistics can be used to model reskilling investment.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t02.htm

Global organizations spend about USD 370 billion on workplace learning annually (training expenditure estimate), indicating large investment pools that can include pet food industry upskilling.https://www.statista.com/statistics/1119873/global-spending-workplace-learning-market-size/

U.S. employers spend USD 1,296 per employee on training on average in a recent corporate training expenditure survey (training spending benchmark).https://www.statista.com/statistics/192219/training-expenditures-per-employee-us/

The cost of a data breach is estimated at $4.45 million in 2023 (Ponemon/IBM), driving OT/IT security training and controls in plants.https://www.ibm.com/reports/data-breach

Employee training can reduce future turnover by about 15% (training-attrition empirical benchmark).https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296309000384

A common manufacturing KPI for quality costs is measured via percent of sales lost to defects; quality cost-of-poor-quality is often 10%–20% of sales in many manufacturing settings.https://asq.org/quality-resources/cost-of-quality

Cost of poor quality reductions of 10%–50% are frequently reported after implementing quality training and process improvement initiatives (quality cost benchmark).https://asq.org/quality-resources/cost-of-quality

The World Economic Forum estimates global reskilling needs have large cost implications but benefits include reduced labor market mismatch; quantified at scale in Future of Jobs (cost/mismatch context).https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023/

ISO 22000 certification costs vary; certification body fees and audit time are measurable cost components that drive competence planning and training preparation.https://www.iso.org/iso-22000-food-safety.html

A 1% quality improvement in manufacturing can reduce scrap/returns and raise profit margins; quality cost-of-poor-quality studies quantify these impacts as measurable (QCO benchmark).https://asq.org/quality-resources/cost-of-quality

Predictive maintenance reduces maintenance costs by 25%–30% (cost benchmark) when coupled with training for technicians and planners.https://www.ibm.com/topics/predictive-maintenance

Interpretation

Cost Analysis Interpretation

With global workplace learning spending of about USD 370 billion a year and U.S. employers averaging USD 1,296 per employee on training, the pet food industry has clear financial momentum, especially because training and quality initiatives can cut poor-quality costs by 10% to 50% and predictive maintenance can reduce maintenance costs by 25% to 30%.

Reference

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APA

Lars Eriksen. (2026, February 13). Upskilling And Reskilling In The Pet Food Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/upskilling-and-reskilling-in-the-pet-food-industry-statistics

MLA

Lars Eriksen. "Upskilling And Reskilling In The Pet Food Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/upskilling-and-reskilling-in-the-pet-food-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Lars Eriksen. 2026. "Upskilling And Reskilling In The Pet Food Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/upskilling-and-reskilling-in-the-pet-food-industry-statistics.