The journeyman's exam: how you prepare
From main course to journeyman's certificate at Kold College
Dairy education concludes with a journeyman's examination, and for many students it is both a highlight and a pressure point in their training. The better you understand what the examination requires and how the education is structured towards it, the better you can plan your preparation along the way.
§Kold College — the only place in Scandinavia
Kold College in Odense is the only place in Scandinavia where you can train to become a dairy scientist. The school has a modern dairy facility where teaching takes place and the dairy scientists trained here are sought after both at dairies around the world and in other parts of the food and pharmaceutical industry where control of processes and hygiene is equally crucial.
§The education's structure leading to the exam.
The education is a vocational training where you alternate between school stays at Kold and training at one or more companies. All students start with basic course part 2 (GF2) after which the education alternates between practice periods in companies and four main course periods at school. This alternation means you continuously test the theory from school in real production — and conversely take questions from practice back to the school bench.
| Phase. | Content |
|---|---|
| Basic course 2 (GF2) | Common start for all dairy assistants |
| Main course 1-4 | School periods at Kold College, alternating with internship |
| Apprenticeship/training | Production in one or more dairy companies |
| Journeyman's exam | Final test as described in the local teaching plan (LUP) |
§What is in the local curriculum?
The exact description of both the basic course exam and the journey exam is found in the school's local teaching plan (LUP), which Kold College publishes. It is your most important tool for knowing exactly what is expected of you at the exam — what learning objectives are tested and how the assessment takes place. Use it actively throughout your education, not just up to the exam itself.
- 01PLACEHOLDER_67
- 02Practice the central processes in practice, not just in theory
- 03Ask your training manager to review previous exam procedures with you
- 04Collect documentation and experience from your work placement that you can draw on for the examination
- 05Practice your sensory assessment and your ability to explain why you do what you do
§After the journeyman certificate
When you have passed the journeyman exam you are a skilled dairyman – and can either continue in production specialize or later study further to for example process technologist with direction towards dairy technology. The broad demand for skilled dairy workers means that a passed journeyman certificate from Kold College is a solid foundation for the rest of your career.