To identify, rate, and cluster groups of competencies and occupational titles at entry and advance levels for occupations in five food products commodity areas, data were collected by interviews with personnel managers in 25 Pennsylvania food processing plants. Some findings were: (1) There were meaningful competency factor and occupational title groups for both levels in each commodity area, (2) With the exception of fieldmen and workers, managers placed little emphasis on a prospective employee's residential background, (3) A 4-year college education was desirable for the managerial occupational titles, quality control technicians, and plant engineers, while a high school education was desirable for the occupational titles of salesman, worker, processor, truck driver, buyer, maintenance mechanic, and production supervisor, and (4) On-the-job training and short courses offered by the plant or industry were the methods of inservice education used most often to train employees. These data imply that there is need for food processing occupational training at secondary, postsecondary, and college levels. This Ed.D. thesis was sent to The Pennsylvania State University. (SB)