After an intensive ten months of
training, 10 experts in compound feed technology have received the diploma from
the renowned School of Feed Technology (SFT).
15 participants, 14 men and 1 woman, from 10 countries took part in the 37th diploma course from January to October 2021 in English. 10 of them received the coveted diploma. In ten intensive months, the students deepened their knowledge in feed milling in self-study and in the eight-week intensive block attendance phase in Uzwil. "As a result, they are now among the experts in their field and among the almost 600 graduates who have completed the diploma course since 1979," said Lothar Driller, Managing Director of the SFT.
MASTERING THE CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE
The importance of the feed milling industry is increasing in many countries due to increasing meat consumption. In order to meet the demand, efficient technologies and know-how for sustainable animal feed production are required. In addition to increasing demand, the requirements are also constantly increasing: Rising raw material prices, changing customer preferences, but also ensuring feed safety present feed millers with ever new challenges. The training at the SFT offers an optimal basis for mastering them in the future. In ten months of training, a broad field is covered, from the basics of the individual process steps, plant design, animal nutrition, feed safety to new sensor technologies as a basis for the digitization of industry. "With this tool, the graduates qualify to take on management tasks and successfully continue to build up the industry," emphasizes Lothar Driller. The President of the SFT (Marcel Scherrer), who is currently stationed in China, congratulated the graduates via video connection, as he could not personally participate in the graduation ceremony due to the travel restrictions of China (Covid-19).
The graduates of the the 37th diploma course with their instructors
VETERINARIAN FROM ECUADOR BEST IN CLASS
Special honor was given to the best in class of the year at the graduation ceremony. In this course, Mateo Rodriguez impressed with outstanding performances. The "career changer" studied veterinary medicine and comes from Ecuador. Mateo Rodriquez achieved a very good performance with the grade 89% (5.45), for which he received the traditional tin plate.
ENABLING IN-SERVICE TRAINING
The aim of the diploma course as a feed milling engineer is to enable the participants to complete the training in parallel with their professional duties. For this reason, the attendance time is only eight weeks, usually divided into two blocks. Due to COVID-19 and the limited possibility of travel activities, the SFT decided this year to merge the two intensive blocks in the autumn. In advance to the eight-week teaching block in Switzerland, the course participants had to independently work on topics and provide proof of achievement, with a total of 20 subject areas being worked on. During the intensive course, the students took a total of 13 written exams. The highlight and conclusion of each individual block (this year 2 x 4 weeks without interruption) were the two oral exams in the core topics in front of a committee of experts.
FOCUS ON PRACTICE
The SFT acts as a non-profit association and is recognized by the Association of Swiss Feed Manufacturers (VSF) as a training and further education institution. The SFT provides professionals from the feed industry and related industries with practical expertise in the production of animal feed. A successful completion of the diploma course provides graduates with the prerequisite to understand all modern process technologies and processes in a compound feed plant and to use them sensibly efficiently in practice. The international technology group Bühler AG is a partner of SFT. So far, 593 men and women from 74 countries have completed the diploma course in compound feed technology.
The next diploma course in compound feed technology will start in January 2022 and will take place in German – again under normal conditions.