LONDON, ENGLAND — Six employees from flour mills across the UK earned the Advanced Milling Diploma from UK Flour Millers.

The group is the sixth to complete the three-year diploma program, which supports the development of flour millers’ employees by providing advanced theoretical knowledge.

The diploma is the final step in the UK Flour Millers’ programs, which start with entry level online learning and continue with the three-year correspondence course. It is provided with partners Campden BRI and the Bühler Milling Academy, who host residential study, alongside a mentored research paper that sees students analyze a key aspect of their employers’ business. Students on the course are selected through an application form and final interview.

The course is a development step for those who have substantial experience in flour milling and are ready to take the next step within their organizations and the industry.

This year’s candidates include:

• Katie Barwise, Carr’s Flour Mill in Silloth
• Robert Beckett, Heygates Flour Mill in Tring
• Dean Boatman, Allied Mills in Tilbury
• Richard Gibson, E B Bradshaw & Sons in Driffield
• Mark Pimblett, ADM Milling in Seaforth
• Andrew Thomson, Whitworth Bros in Wellingborough

“For these students, securing their diplomas is the result of substantial commitment and hard work, supported by their flour milling employers,” said Alistair Gale, chief executive officer of UK Flour Millers. “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. 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 fall 2024.

Interested applicants can learn more via UK Flour Millers’ website at www.ukflourmillers.org/advancedmillingdiploma.

Qualified applicants who have the support of their organizations should reach out to UK Flour Millers about training requirements.

“Milling is a specialized industry that requires a dedicated training resource; the diploma is an essential part of our training offer,” Gale said. “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.”