MANHATTAN, KANSAS, U.S. — Kansas State University’s International Grains Program (IGP) and Bühler Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., said they will host milling short courses that will allow experienced millers an opportunity to make connections in milling theory and learn about industry innovations.

The first one, given in English, will be held March 19-23. The second one, given in Spanish, will be held March 26-30. Chris Miller, KSU milling instructor, and Ralph Linnemann, flour milling expert from the Bühler training center in Uzwil, Switzerland, will serve as co-instructors.

Because the course will delve deeply into both theoretical and practical milling, it is essential that participants be experienced millers, the instructors said.

“Our instruction focuses on learning about new machinery, energy savings and enhancing milling performance,” Linneman said. “It covers the entire milling process and challenges these millers to become better decision makers and practice practicality in the mill.”

Miller said, “Ultimately, the goal is to have participants build on their past experience and to strengthen their knowledge and decision making ability. This course should benefit participants because it is building on what they already know. Since they have been in the industry, the goal is to mainly connect the dots and to tie up the overall theory.”

Participants learn from classroom instruction, practical hands-on application and participant interaction. According to Linnemann, the diverse and international backgrounds of the participants gives rise to interesting discussions that allow participants to learn from other’s experiences.

2011 English course participant and 23-year industry veteran Rick Odette said he really valued this part of the course.

“My favorite part of the course has been the interactions between everyone in the course. You get a lot of information from what they are going through. You get ideas of what you can do differently back home,” said Odette, who is an assistant mill supervisor for Knappen Milling in Augusta, Michigan, U.S.

For 2011 Spanish course participant Hector Recalde, a production manager for Molinos Miraflores in Ecuador, the most beneficial part of the course was the way it combined lectures and hands-on exercises.

“I am here to learn all that I can, but one can only study and learn so much before they need to apply it,” Recalde said. “Here you can do both. After this week, I can say that I feel comfortable practicing what I have learned.”

Course and registration information can be found on IGP’s website, www.grains.edu/igp, or on the International Association of Operative Millers’ site, www.iaom.info.