Buhler’s African Milling School celebrates a decade, graduates 15 apprentice millers

KENYA – Buhler’s Africa Milling School (AMS) in Nairobi marked its 10th anniversary on Friday, November 14, 2025, celebrating a decade of transformative training in milling, food, and feed technologies across Africa and the Middle East. 

Hosting over 100 guests, including industry customers, alumni, and local partners, the event, highlighted a decade of specialized training in the milling sector while honoring the graduation of 15 students from seven countries.

Established in 2015, the vocational institution has become a regional powerhouse, producing more than 1,600 graduates from over 30 countries, training over 170 apprentice millers, and delivering more than 120 professional courses.

Martin Schlauri, the school’s founding head said the decision to anchor the school in Kenya was deliberate, noting its accessibility and Bühler’s existing industrial footprint. 

The school’s location facilitates efficient access, with flights from hubs like Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa taking no more than four hours.

“Nairobi was a strategic choice for setting up the school, and Bühler had already established a strong footprint here with our service centre,” he said, emphasising the school’s ability to serve millers from across East Africa and beyond.

Education for impact

Over the past decade, AMS has built a reputation as the premier centre for food and feed processing expertise in Africa. 

Its campus includes two modern classrooms, each accommodating up to 45 learners, a canteen, prayer facilities, and a fully equipped laboratory. 

The heart of the school is its functional training mill, featuring 48-tonne-per-day grain handling, 24-tonne-per-day wheat milling, 20-tonne-per-day maize milling, feed pelleting, latest-generation optical sorting, roller and hammer milling systems, and on-site maintenance workshops.

Since its inception, AMS now offers a wide range of programs, including the two-year Apprentice Miller Program, the one-year Head Miller Program, mechanical, electrical and PLC maintenance courses, Milling for Managers, and specialised training in flour quality and baking technology. 

The AMS employs a dual-education framework modeled after Switzerland’s vocational system, requiring students to alternate between five months of workplace experience in their home countries and one month of on-site instruction in Nairobi.

Spanning two years and four modules, the program allocates mornings to theoretical learning and afternoons to practical exercises, allowing immediate application of skills in professional settings.

Over the years, the curriculum has broadened beyond core milling to encompass feed production, coffee processing, grain management, baking techniques, and plant-based proteins.

Multilingual courses are available in various formats, including in-person, virtual, and hybrid, with supplementary short programs for those unable to pursue the full apprenticeship.

This adaptability responds to industry pressures such as climate variability, labor shortages, and supply chain disruptions.

Schlauri emphasized foundational principles in his address, introducing the “triple T” concept-time for punctuality and respect, tidiness for organized workspaces, and toughness for diligent effort-to cultivate professional attitudes.

He extended this to graduating millers with the “three Cs”: competence in skill application, confidence in lifelong learning, and commitment to optimal resource utilization.

Its influence has steadily expanded in the last decade, and in 2025 alone, the school delivered an inaugural regional Food Extrusion Workshop and hosted an aquaculture feed technical roundtable, strengthening capacity in plant-based proteins, extrusion technologies, fish feed uniformity, and raw material optimisation.

Graduation honours the next generation of millers

The anniversary celebration also marked the graduation of 15 students from the school’s ninth Apprentice Miller cohort (APM9). 

The group, representing Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana and Pakistan, and beyond, completed two years of intensive theory and hands-on training designed to prepare them for the demands of modern milling.

Dario Grossmann, head of Bühler’s Milling Academy in Uzwil, Switzerland, reinforced this view, calling the AMS a “catalyst for transformation” that instills knowledge, ownership, and measurable outcomes in participants and their communities.

One of the top graduates, Kenyan engineer Christine Wambui of Bühler Group, said the training has transformed her approach to technical problem-solving. 

“As a service engineer, it’s nice to understand the process, and then it’s easier when you are now sorting out an issue for a client, you do it wholesomely, thanks to training like this,” she said.

Pakistan’s Mohammed praised the program for helping trainees keep pace with rapidly advancing technologies. 

“This course is like a stepping ladder to help us achieve that gap in between… now we understand how to utilise new technology and step away from traditional ways,” he said.

Sulaiman Al Saqri, a 2024 graduate from Oman Flour Mills, described the program as eye-opening.

“The Apprentice Miller Program really opened my eyes to the full picture of the flour milling industry, from technology to grain science. It helped me improve how I operate and troubleshoot in the plant every day.”

Suad Abubaker,Managing Director of Pembe Flour Mills Kenya, praised the school as “more than a training centre, it’s an engine for industry excellence,” noting that AMS graduates return with advanced technical proficiency and proactive mindsets, enhancing equipment maintenance and product quality.

A symbolic tree-planting ceremony honoured the graduating class, representing growth, renewal, and the responsibility the new millers carry into the sector.

New leadership and visual identity signal the future

A notable announcement during the ceremony was a leadership transition and the launch of a new AMS logo, reflecting the school’s next phase of innovation, sustainability and regional expansion. 

After two years as Head of Training, Priscilla Bakalian announced that she is stepping aside for a sabbatical, handing over the mantle to Benjamin Menet as the incoming School Director.

In her farewell remarks, Bakalian paid tribute to the school’s legacy and future. “Finally, in Arabic, we say ‘Inshallah ila al-ma’ah’ –  meaning: to the next hundred years. May we gather again –  if God grants us good health – to celebrate another century of excellence,” she said.

Menet, accepting the leadership role, emphasised the privilege and responsibility of guiding AMS into its next decade. 

“Ten years ago, I came here to teach my first Mechanical Maintenance course, invited by Martin. I had the expertise, but almost no experience speaking in front of people. And yet, this school believed in me,” he said. “Today, a decade later, Martin has officially handed me the keys.”

The day concluded with industry partners, alumni and stakeholders reaffirming their commitment to advancing milling skills and food systems across Africa. 

With a refreshed identity and new leadership, AMS now looks ahead to its next decade of regional impact, building a workforce capable of meeting Africa’s evolving food and feed challenges.

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