MADE Consultants Contributed to the Approval and Securing of Funding for the Modernisation Project of the Dairy School of Ioannina | Epirus Programme 2021–2027

The approval of the modernisation project of the S.A.E.K. of Ioannina – Dairy School under the “Epirus 2021–2027” Programme marks a particularly important development for vocational education, the agri-food sector, and the dairy and cheese-making industry in Greece.

MADE Consultants provided technical support to the Dairy School of Ioannina for the preparation and maturation of the project proposal, contributing decisively to the successful approval of an initiative of significant educational, productive, and developmental value. At the current stage, following the approval of the project, the company’s support continues through the monitoring of its implementation, ensuring the smooth progress of procedures, compliance with the Programme’s requirements, and the effective completion of the planned interventions.

The Dairy School of Ioannina, operated by ELGO-DIMITRA, is a historic and emblematic educational institution with nationwide reach. It is the only public educational structure in Greece with a specialised focus on training dairy and cheese-making technicians, and has been closely linked over time with the staffing of dairy industries, cheese-making units, and small processing enterprises across the country.

The upgrade of the School is not only important for Epirus. It concerns the Greek dairy and cheese-making sector as a whole, as it strengthens an educational institution that provides specialised human resources to one of the most important sectors of Greek production. In a country with a strong dairy tradition, high-quality products, and a significant regional production base, this project carries substantial national importance.

ELGO-DIMITRA, through the operation of the School, contributes to connecting vocational education with production, innovation, and the real needs of the labour market. The upgrade of this educational infrastructure further strengthens the School’s role as a reference point for the training of new professionals in the dairy and cheese-making sector.

The project concerns the modernisation and functional upgrade of the S.A.E.K. of Ioannina – Dairy School through three key interventions: Dairy Production Facility Equipment, Laboratory Equipment, and Upgrade of Educational Spaces.

These interventions form an integrated plan for the upgrade of the School’s educational infrastructure. The modernisation of the dairy production facility will strengthen the practical training of students, enabling them to train under conditions aligned with the current requirements of production. The upgrade of the laboratories will enhance training in quality control, safety, analysis, and product evaluation, while the improvement of the educational spaces will create a more functional, modern, and safe learning environment.

Overall, the project will improve the School’s technological capacity, ergonomics, teaching quality, and ability to provide modern, practice-oriented vocational training. In this way, the School further strengthens its role as an educational hub of nationwide importance and as an institution that directly contributes to the development of skilled human resources for the sector.

The project budget amounts to approximately €900,000 and is fully covered by the “Epirus 2021–2027” Programme. This funding enables the implementation of a meaningful intervention with a tangible impact on education quality, vocational training, and the strengthening of a critical sector of Greek agri-food production.

The contribution of MADE Consultants is reflected in the reliable, fast, and responsible technical support provided for a complex and demanding proposal file. The preparation of the proposal required the coordination of multiple stakeholders, the collection and organisation of technical, administrative, and financial data, the documentation of the necessity of the intervention, and the timely development of a complete and mature submission file.

The value of MADE Consultants’ work does not stop at the successful approval of the project. In the next stage, the company continues to support the Dairy School of Ioannina through the monitoring of implementation, contributing to the coordination of procedures, adherence to timelines, and effective management of the project until its completion.

With vision and consistency, MADE Consultants contributes to the design, maturation, and monitoring of projects that create meaningful value for local communities and the wider economy. In the case of the S.A.E.K. of Ioannina – Dairy School, our technical support contributed to the approval of an intervention with educational, productive, and developmental impact, strengthening a historic institution of nationwide reach and creating the conditions for the further advancement of the Greek dairy and cheese-making sector.