Source: Susan Kelly, MEATINGPLACE, 4/20/18



Tyson Foods said it will expand an in-plant education program for workers that teaches life skills ranging from English as a second language to computer and financial literacy.

Called Upward Academy, the program launched in 2016 at one Tyson plant in Springdale, Ark., and is now offered at 27 facilities in Arkansas, Missouri, Texas and North Carolina. Forty plants are projected to have the program by the end of September 2018, and expansion will continue over the next several years to cover the company’s entire footprint.

The program provides classes at no cost, in partnership with local community organizations. Other subjects offered include General Educational Development (GED), citizenship and driver education. It recently surpassed 100,000 hours of instruction to more than 1,000 of the company’s team members.

“What began as a pilot program two years ago quickly evolved into a critical investment in our front-line team members that we’re now actively expanding,” Debra Vernon, senior director, corporate social responsibility, at Tyson, said in a press release.

“The impact on our team members is truly immeasurable.”

Students’ progress is tracked through standard assessment testing via the Adult Education National Scale for federally funded adult education programs. 

“We are grateful to Tyson Foods for making a real commitment to literacy and workplace education,” said Patty Henson Sullivan, executive director, Ozark Literacy Council, based in Fayetteville, Ark. “Through Upward Academy’s leadership, we not only deliver classes, but we have access to best practices and research so that we can monitor, grow and adapt to team members’ needs and create advancement opportunities.”

A survey of 200 Upward Academy participants from 12 locations found: 88 percent reported improved communication with people in the community, 86 percent reported improved communication with supervisors since starting classes, and 85 percent reported increased satisfaction at work.

Headquartered in Springdale, Tyson Foods has 122,000 employees.

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