The GEAPS/Kansas State University (K-State) Distance Education Program will offer 33 courses in 2019. Every course required for the credentials in Grain Operations Management and Grain Processing Management will be available over the course of the year.
Chris Blair, regional manager for NEW Cooperative chairs GEAPS’ committee that oversees distance education. According to Blair, the program is designed to build and reinforce the skills of all levels of employees in the grain industry.
“We have courses that are designed for new employees to the industry, that will help them build a baseline of skill to succeed in the industry,” Blair said. “Other courses will help more experienced operators learn best practices that can help the facility’s bottom line.”
Jim McKerchar, retired, Parrish & Heimbecker, explains how his company used distance education courses to groom employees for management positions.
“We have an employee whose dream was to be the general manager of his own facility. We started him through GEAPS training, and he earned every credential. That’s 24 courses and over 240 hours of training,” McKerchar said. “He took two things from every course and applied them in our company to help show the benefit in dollars and cents. He matured from an operations manager to general manager. GEAPS helped us develop a ball of clay with the right ingredients to the point where he manages a $20M facility.”
Courses consist of peer-reviewed online narrated PowerPoint presentations, assignments and quizzes that can be completed any time over the five weeks of the course.
For more information, visit geaps.com.
2019 Course Schedule
Jan. 8 – Feb. 12
Registration opens Dec. 5, closes Jan. 2
GEAPS 500: Introduction to Grain Handling Operations
GEAPS 501: Management Basics for Grain Facility Supervisors: Understanding Key Roles and Responsibilities
GEAPS 541: Developing an Effective Safety Culture at Your Company
GEAPS 550: Materials Handling I
Feb. 19 – March 26
Registration opens Jan. 16, closes Feb. 13
GEAPS 506: The Grain Industry in Canada: Climate, Crops, People
GEAPS 510: Facilities Planning and Design I
GEAPS 520: Grain Quality Management
GEAPS 551: Materials Handling II
April 2 – May 7
Registration opens Feb. 27, closes March 27
GEAPS 521: Aeration System Design and Fan Operational Management
GEAPS 540: Entry Level Safety
GEAPS 546: Fighting Grain Silo Fires and Smolders
GEAPS 552: Materials Handling III
May 14 – June 18
Registration opens April 10, closes May 8
GEAPS 511: Grain Facilities Planning and Design II
GEAPS 525: Management of Pests in Stored Grain
GEAPS 544: Preventing and Responding to Grain Dust Explosions
GEAPS 610: Interpretation of Process Flow Diagrams
June 25 – July 30
Registration opens May 22, closes June 19
GEAPS 530: Quality Management Systems for Bulk Materials Handling Operations
GEAPS 545: Grain Entrapment: Causes, Prevention and Rescue
GEAPS 554: Grain Elevator Equipment Maintenance: An Inside Look at Key Components
GEAPS 600: Overview of Milling Principles
Aug. 6 – Sept. 10
Registration opens July 2, closes July 31
GEAPS 500: Introduction to Grain Operations
GEAPS 501: Management Basics for Grain Facility Supervisors: Understanding Key Roles and Responsibilities
GEAPS 542: Electrical Safety for Grain and Processing Facilities
GEAPS 550: Materials Handling I
GEAPS 555: Advanced and Preventive Maintenance for Grain Facilities: Conveyance Equipment
Sept. 17 – Oct. 22
Registration opens Aug. 14, closes Sept. 11
GEAPS 510: Facilities Planning and Design I
GEAPS 520: Grain Quality Management
GEAPS 524: Grain Drying
GEAPS 620: Grain Receiving, Cleaning and Conditioning
Oct. 29 – Dec. 3
Registration opens Sept. 25, closes Oct. 23
GEAPS 522: FGIS Grain Inspection Orientation
GEAPS 530: Quality Management Systems for Bulk Materials Handling Operations
GEAPS 540: Entry Level Safety
GEAPS 630: Quality Control/Quality Assurance Practices in Flour Milling
