Oregon State University is now offering an “Online Dairy Foods Manufacturing Certificate” designed for dairy manufacturing careers.

The program was specifically designed by working closely with the dairy industry to help plant employees gain the essential framework for career growth and professional development.

The knowledge gained from the dairy certificate tracks and modules will help participants with the essentials of operations, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, technical and scientific understanding, and regulatory and safety.

The modules and certificates are designed to train and upskill:
•Plant personnel new to dairy manufacturing with limited or no prior education in the dairy or food industry;
•Existing personnel aspiring to advance in the company by preparing themselves for work on the food quality team or food safety team; and
•Persons with supervisory skills or roles can deepen dairy-related technical and scientific knowledge to their skillset and increase career mobility.

Because of the close connection to industry, this program is also helpful to personnel in the regulatory space or in sales on the supplier side, OSU noted.

To make it accessible for everyone, this new program is on-demand and fully online. The highly modular, interactive program includes 23 learning modules (each one to two hours in length), which can be taken alone or as part of prescribed certificates.

The full certificates (Essentials and Advanced Certificates in Dairy Manufacturing) provide an in-depth exploration of core topics related to dairy manufacturing. They are ideal for new hires with limited or no prior dairy or food industry education, and those looking to brush up on foundational knowledge, OSU said.

The Essential Dairy Foods Manufacturing Certificate consists of 12 essential modules plus one elective. By the end of the program, participants will: know the basics of chemistry and microbiology; recognize factors that affect quality and consistency (both positively and negatively); and understand the function of key dairy unit operations, how they apply to a variety of products and why it matters.

The Advanced Certificate in Dairy Foods Manufacturing builds on the Essential Certificate and includes all 23 modules. By the end of the program, participants will: have a basic understanding of the processes for a range of dairy products, how they differ and how they’re same and how that links to quality and consistency; describe characteristics of good and poor quality raw milk and understand factors that affect milk quality; and understand the function of key dairy unit operations, how they apply to a variety of products and why it matters.

Micro Certificates and individual modules focus on specific specialties in dairy manufacturing, and are ideal for existing personnel seeking career advancement, supervisors, and others looking to deepen their dairy-related technical and scientific knowledge, according to OSU.

Micro Certificates are offered in four areas. The eight-module Dairy Quality Certificate teaches participants the fundamentals of basic microbiology and pasteurization in processing, and students will gain the tools to analyze and evaluate quality and safety in a production dairy setting.

The five-module Dairy Food Safety Certificate focuses on creating a culture of safety in a dairy facility both for the products themselves as well as the team that produces them. This certificate includes the essentials of: dairy basics; GMPs, food safety systems and culture; regulatory environment for dairy; and supply chain management. This certificate is geared toward working in large and small facilities as well as regulatory environments and supply chain management.

The nine-module Fermented Dairy Product Certificate starts with the basics of dairy production and then goes into the essentials of fermented products within the dairy facility. The certificate focuses on understanding fermentation and how to make delicious and safe dairy products that range from cheese to yogurt.

This certificate includes the essentials of: dairy chemistry and microbiology; pasteurization technologies; sanitation; fundamentals of cheesemaking; specialty cheeses; and cultured products.

The 10-module Dried Dairy Products Certificate is focused on the systematic process of making dried dairy products as well as the science and safety that ensure a high-quality product.

For more information, or to register, visit www.pace.oregonstate.edu/dairy.

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