A strong tradition for education and lifelong learning
The dairy industry needs talented people.
A key enabler, in terms of talent and education is to maintain focus on education relevant to industry needs. Public research and education must focus on the areas where companies need knowledge and skills. Many competences are needed both in science, humanities and business; at all levels from craftsmen to highly specialized PhDs.
It is critical that the candidates have the strongest scientific basis combined with a well-developed understanding of how to convert science and expertise into business opportunities and growth.
Lifelong learning initiatives and continued competence building are required to ensure state-of-the-art competences at all levels. The never-ending technological changes call for continuous learning pathways and on-the-job training for employees at all levels.
The dairy-related education levels are described below.
The education is fourfold – Dairy Technologist, Dairy Technician, Master of Science in Dairy Science and Technology, and finally the PhD education.
Dairy Technologist
This education is more than 125 years old and has from the very beginning integrated work-based learning as an essential part of the education.
It takes 37 months to become a Dairy Technologist, which is split between 55 weeks of theory at Kold College and internships at 1-2 companies within the dairy industry.
Kold College is a vocational college, which offers students both fully fledged educations as well as shorter programs and courses (locally and internationally) within the fields of dairy, gastronomy, catering, horticulture and agriculture. Furthermore, Kold is the only dairy college in Scandinavia with a full-scale training dairy plant.
Key job functions of the Dairy Technologist are within production, logistics, environmental management, hygiene and product quality.
Read more about Dairy Technologists (Danish only) »»
Dairy Technician
It takes 2 years to become a Dairy Technician (Official title: Academy Professions (AP) Degree in Process Engineering, Laboratory Engineering and Food Technology).
The education is situated at Kold College and builds on top of the Dairy Technologist.
Many Dairy Technicians work as project managers and coordinators, work in product development, as managers in the production, and with technical sales and services.
Read more about the Dairy Technician education (Danish only) »»
Master in Dairy Science and Technology
The Master in Dairy Science and Technology is a 2-year research-based master education at University of Copenhagen.
In 1921, the first Masters in Dairy Science and Technology were educated. The education is acknowledged and regularly updated in close collaboration with the industry.
All master courses are taught in English and include lectures, projects, teaching and practical experiments. The education concludes with a thesis, which typically addresses relevant subjects in close collaboration with industry.
Read more about the Master in Dairy Science and technology »»
