PepsiCo launches state-of-the-art training center for students and employees development

PepsiCo, one of the leaders in the food and beverage industry, has invested $137,000 in developing the Training Center at the PepsiCo East Balkans beverage plant in Dragomirești-Deal in Romania. This facility, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, is designed to provide hands-on training and support the education of future specialists in soft drink production. This ultra-modern learning space will support both employees and technical students in acquiring technical skills, offering them the opportunity to simulate production and maintenance processes in a laboratory environment.

Starting this month, the program will take place here, training employees from PepsiCo East Balkans plants to become internal trainers. Upon completing the training, they will be able to provide training sessions for their colleagues, contributing to the improvement of preventive and predictive maintenance, with the goal of enhancing production process efficiency. Additionally, separate laboratory sessions will be held at the PepsiCo Training Center for students from the National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics.

“Through this initiative, we aim to provide our colleagues and future industry specialists with a highly practical learning experience. The training center is a place where they can test, experiment, and learn directly on real equipment in a safe environment. Our partnership with the National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest is a clear example of effective collaboration between the labor market and the education sector, focusing on the professional development of future generations”, said Silvia Petre, HR Director of PepsiCo East Balkans.

The facility can accommodate up to 20 people at a time and is equipped with various mechanical, electronic, and pneumatic systems, as well as a mini robot used to simulate production processes. Students will have the opportunity to work with equipment that replicates beverage production processes, as well as to explore electrical and automated systems. Additionally, PepsiCo employees from the two plants in Romania will participate in advanced technical training sessions.

Two years ago, PepsiCo invested $13 million in a fully automated production line at the Dragomirești-Deal plant. The most advanced line in PepsiCo Europe’s portfolio, it can produce up to 1 million bottles of beverages per day while reducing energy and water consumption by 30%, using 20% less carbon dioxide, and saving approximately 30 tons of plastic annually.

PepsiCo has been operating and investing in Romania for over 30 years. In the past decade, the company has invested $320 million directly in the country, continuously expanding its business and strengthening its role as a regional production and distribution hub.