Higher Level dairy apprentices graduate from University Centre Reaseheath

March 22, 2024

Thirteen aspiring dairy professionals who have been studying on a unique degree level apprenticeship at University Centre Reaseheath (UCR) have graduated at a spectacular ceremony held in Chester’s historic cathedral.

Members of Cohort 12 on our industry focused Eden programme joined peers from the Faculty of Science, Business and Enterprise at the University of Chester for their graduation ceremony.

The Eden programme is a bespoke higher level education initiative, driven and supported by leading dairy companies, which upskills promising professionals in the sector. It is offered solely through UCR and aims to produce world-class employees through degree level apprenticeships.

UCR actively supports this type of higher level learning, which allows those already in employment to continue in practical and academic study.

The graduates, who had successfully completed a Foundation Degree in Dairy Technology on a block release basis at our industry standard Food Centre, were:

Jack Shepherd (Arla Aylesbury)

Alena Belskaia (Arla Oakthorpe),

Lydia Gough (Arla Taw Valley)

Ben Milroy (Arla Melton Mowbray)

Gemma White (Arla Taw Valley)

Salma Afzal (Arla Settle)

Will Collins (Wyke Farms)

Anita Galezewska (Wyke Farms)

Aaron Morgan (Dairy Partners)

Grace Nellist (Muller Droitwich)

Giovanna Cuscito (Muller Bridgwater)

Lewis Hines (Muller Droitwich)

Hayley Walsh (Muller Bridgwater)

Following the ceremony, Aaron Morgan was presented with the Meredydd David Award for Academic and Technical Excellence for his final year project on determining the practicality and potential benefits of installing a new bulk clean-in-place (CIP) system at his company’s mozzarella factory in South Wales.

Clean-in-place is an automated method of cleaning the interior surfaces of pipes, vessels, filters and fittings without the need to dismantle the equipment and is commonly used in the food and beverage industry.

Following Aaron’s research, his company installed a new CIP system which has significantly reduced cleaning downtime and in turn increased productivity. Once fully realised, these and additional improvements are expected to return an additional £5,000,000 worth of revenue to the business.

The graduation ceremony was attended by Reaseheath’s Processing Halls Manager Mike Bennett, Food Centre Manager Nick Blakemore and Skills Coach Robbie Goodridge, along with Principal and CEO Marcus Clinton, Acting Dean of HE Sarah Hopkinson, Assistant Principal Sharon Yates, Food Innovation Programme Leader Dr Lisa Eden-Rump and Chair of Governors David Pearson MBE.

Professor Eunice Simmons Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Chester, our strategic alliance partner, welcomed the UCR presence as evidence of the strong collaboration between the two institutions.

She told the graduates, who hailed from 30 different countries: “I am thrilled to congratulate you on your achievements. Graduation is one of the absolute highlights of my role as Vice-Chancellor, as I know your university education will transform your prospects.

“Yours is a highly globalised area of business which has a positive impact on people and the environment. I have every confidence that you will go on to achieve success and view every challenge as an opportunity for growth.”