African Milling School celebrates a decade, graduates 15 apprentice millers

KENYA – Buhler’s African 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. 

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

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

“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.

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, commissioned in 2015, 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. 

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.

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.

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

The milestone event also marked 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 handed over to incoming School Director Benjamin Menet, who previously taught mechanical maintenance at AMS.

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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