Advanced Flour Milling Diplomas Awarded
Six employees from flour mills across the United Kingdom have been awarded UK Flour Millers’ highest qualification, the Advanced Milling Diploma, after three years of study.
This year’s cohort of Advanced Milling Diploma students is the sixth to pass through the challenging diploma programme, which aims to support the development of high potential flour millers’ employees and equip them with advanced theoretical knowledge to add to their practical skills, creating future leaders of the industry.
The Advanced Milling Diploma is the final step in the UK Flour Millers’ ladder of training programmes, which starts with entry level online leaning then advances to the three-year correspondence course. It is delivered with partners Campden BRI and the Buhler Milling Academy, Switzerland, who host residential study, alongside a mentored research paper which sees students analyse a key aspect of their employers’ business. Students on the course are selected through application form and final interview.
The course is an important development step for people who have substantial experience in flour milling and are ready to take their next step within their organisations and the industry more widely. The successful 2023 candidates, drawn from milling, quality, and operational roles in their businesses were:
- Katie Barwise who works at Carr’s Flour Mill in Silloth
- Robert Beckett who works at Heygates Flour Mill in Tring
- Dean Boatman who works at Allied Mills in Tilbury
- Richard Gibson who works at E B Bradshaw & Sons in Driffield
- Mark Pimblett who works at A D M Milling in Seaforth
- Andrew Thomson who works at Whitworth Bros in Wellingborough
Chief executive officer of UK Flour Millers, Alistair Gale, is excited to see the contribution the new diploma holders make as they put their new skills into action.
‘For these students, securing their diplomas is the result of substantial commitment and hard work, supported by their flour milling employers. Through their studies, they have broadened and deepened their knowledge of the industry, setting it alongside deeper analytical skills. In combination, it sets them up to make a greater contribution both to their employers and the wider milling industry.’
More than 2,000 people work in the UK flour milling industry at mills across the country, from Edinburgh to Belfast, Selby to the Isle of Wight. Recruitment is open now for the next cohort of flour milling industry employees to study for the Advanced Milling Diploma, with the course set to begin in autumn 2024. Interested applicants can learn more via UK Flour Millers’ website at www.ukflourmillers.org/advancedmillingdiploma, and qualified applicants who have the support of their organisations should reach out to UK Flour Millers about training requirements.
‘Milling is a specialised industry which requires a dedicated training resource; the diploma is an essential part of our training offer,’ concluded Alistair Gale. ‘It’s bespoke, matched to the needs of the industry and its customers, equipping students with the knowledge and insight to shape future development. The final project is on a topic of their choice, supported by their employer, with the benefits flowing through to the business in areas including improved operational efficiency and new product development.’
According to data by Ascential and a National Diet and Nutrition Survey, flour is used as an ingredient in about a third of foods found on supermarket shelves. 99.8% of UK households buy bread, and it provides significant quantities of essential vitamins and minerals. The importance of the flour milling industry in the UK should not be understated, as flour mills ensure bakeries, food manufacturers, restaurants, and retailers have the flour they need to make food for the nation.