The 3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc. (3-A SSI) is launching an innovative workforce development initiative that addresses two critical industry challenges: the persistent need for improved hygienic design solutions and the shortage of early-career professionals who understand sanitary design principles from day one.

The Student Hygienic Design Competition brings together interdisciplinary university teams from across North America to solve real-world food safety challenges using 3-A Standards as their foundation. Over five months, students work with industry mentors to design, prototype, and validate solutions to focused hygienic design problems that have frustrated the food processing industry for years.

We've outlined sponsorship opportunities for forward-thinking companies to invest in the next generation of food safety professionals while gaining access to innovative solutions and top emerging talent.

 

The Opportunity

The Challenge We're Addressing

Industry Pain Point #1: Persistent Hygienic Design Problems
Despite decades of advancement in 3-A Standards, food processors and equipment manufacturers continue to face recurring sanitation challenges:

• Difficult-to-clean threaded connections
• Product holdup in dead-legs and sampling ports
• Door seals that degrade and harbor contamination
• Access panels with sanitation-compromising fasteners
• Equipment modifications that compromise cleanability

Industry Pain Point #2: Workforce Development Gap
The food processing industry faces a critical shortage of professionals who:

• Understand hygienic design principles from the start of their careers
• Can apply 3-A Standards to real-world equipment challenges
• Think creatively about sanitation within regulatory constraints
• Bridge disciplines (food science, engineering, microbiology)

Our Solution

The Student Hygienic Design Competition provides:

• For Industry: Fresh perspectives on persistent problems, early talent pipeline access, and innovative solution development
• For Students: Hands-on experience applying 3-A Standards, industry mentorship, portfolio-building projects, and direct employer connections
• For Food Safety: Better-educated workforce entering the industry with practical hygienic design experience

Why Sponsor This Competition?

Strategic Talent Pipeline Development

• Identify and connect with top talent  before graduation
• Build relationships with students through multi-month engagement
• Demonstrate your commitment to workforce development
• Access students from target universities and programs

Innovation Access

• Gain fresh perspectives from interdisciplinary teams
• View creative solutions to problems your organization faces
• First access to potentially commercial innovations

Brand & Reputation Building

• Position your company as a food safety education leader
• Demonstrate commitment to industry advancement
• Gain visibility among 3-A member companies and industry peers
• Media coverage throughout the competition cycle

Cost-Effective ROI

• Lower cost than traditional recruiting campaigns
• More effective than job fair presence alone
• Multiple touchpoints with students over extended period
• Tangible deliverables: designs, prototypes, validation studies