Ardent' Mills milling certification program will soon have its first graduates
When Jacob Pierzyna and Zachary Melin walk with their fellow students at Dunwoody College of Technology on May 17, they will be the first students to graduate in partnership with a new Ardent Mills apprenticeship program. Jacob and Zach will continue working with Ardent Mills until early fall to complete the on-the-job hours required for apprenticeship certificates. Next: they will be ready for their professional milling careers.
According to U.S. Department of Education, people with technical educations are more likely to be employed than their counterparts with academic credentials, and they are significantly more likely to be working in their fields of study. What’s more: The two apprentices will enter their careers free of school loans. These “apprenticeship advantages” are part of what motivated Brad Allen, vice president and operations lead, Ardent Mills, and Ted Korolchuk, technical fellow, Ardent Mills, to launch an apprenticeship program at two community mills. Another motivation was the need for skilled millers.