Industry Recognized Credentials through the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce
Ohio’s food industry is one of the state’s largest and most resilient sectors, offering career opportunities in science, safety, production, and innovation. CIFT’s Food Industry Credentials give high school students a structured path to build real-world experience and demonstrate technical knowledge before graduation.
Both credentials are aligned with Ohio’s career field technical content standards and recognized by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.
CIFT Food Industry Associate Credential
The Associate credential offers an introduction to careers in food science, manufacturing, and safety. It prepares students with foundational knowledge and connects classroom learning with practical experience.
To earn the CIFT Food Industry Associate Credential, students must:
- Complete the Science and Technology of Food course
- Earn a passing score on the WebXam
- Complete a placement, entrepreneurship, or research experience, paid or unpaid
- Document at least 100 hours of experience using a system that tracks skill development and aligns with Ohio’s career field technical content standards
CIFT Food Industry Specialist Credential
The Specialist credential is intended for students who want to explore advanced food industry concepts and develop deeper technical and leadership skills. It supports direct-to-industry opportunities as well as continued education and training.
To earn the CIFT Food Industry Specialist Credential, students must:
- Complete the Science and Technology of Food course and earn a passing WebXam score
- Complete three of the following six courses and earn passing WebXam scores:
- Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
- Food Marketing and Research
- Principles and Practices of Bioscience
- Applications of Food Science and Safety
- Business Management for Agricultural and Environmental Systems
- Bioresearch
- Complete a placement, entrepreneurship, or research experience, paid or unpaid
- Document at least 500 hours of experience using a system that aligns with Ohio’s career field technical content standards