MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S. — The Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS) and Kansas State University (KSU) announced the 33-course 2017 distance education program schedule. The schedule includes two new courses, and every course required to earn the Credential in Grain Operations Management (CGOM) and the Credential in Grain Processing Management (CGPM). A complete schedule and more information on individual courses are available on the GEAPS/KSU Distance Education Program website.   

The program aims to build the skills of existing grain industry workers through online, peer-reviewed continuing education unit (CEU)-qualified courses taught by grain industry leaders and faculty members. The program helps participants improve job skills through exposure to issues, standards and best practices from across the industry. 

Two new courses will be available in 2017:

• GEAPS 546: Controlling Grain Bin Fires and Smolders (available in October)
• GEAPS 610: Interpretation of Process Flow Diagrams (available in July)

The new courses will expand the program to 27 courses.  More than 4,000 registrants from 30 countries have taken courses since the program’s start in 2005.

“The industry has found our credentialing program to be a tremendous value,” said Forst, CMC Industrial Electronics, head of the program for GEAPS. “We have heard from a number of companies that either use our program as a formal training regimen, or use our courses to supplement their existing training options. We have seen increased use of our value discount program as more and more companies use our courses to train employees.”

In all, 77 grain handling and processing professionals have earned 132 professional credentials through the GEAPS KSU Credentialing Program.