Wine Guild Education launches free skills courses

Wine Guild Education (WGEd), the skills development arm of the Wine Guild of the United Kingdom, has launched a set of free hospitality service training courses designed to meet the needs of the sector as it emerges from lockdown.

The courses, run in association with training provider Skills Republic, are Hospitality Team Member Level 2 (Wine Pathway) and Hospitality Supervisor Level 3 (Wine Pathway). As apprenticeships the courses can qualify for up to 100% funding.

WGEd is running the courses, worth up to £4,500 per student, to help improve their knowledge of wine and drink as well as develop a fuller understanding of the business they are working in, their ability to communicate effectively, ability to read a room, to spot sales opportunities and to sell appropriately.

Students can study the Wine Pathway modules online at their own pace, with weekly tutorials fitted around work schedules, taking up to 12 months to do so.

Course delivery is adapted to focus on the students' own experience and needs as well as those of their workplace, using their own menus and wine list as appropriate.

Wine Guild vice chancellor Mike Hildesley said: "With the industry now facing severe staff shortages at a time when consumers will be eating out more than ever it has become vital for all food operators, be it restaurants, hotels, pubs or wine bars, to retain and incentivise staff. As the industry adapts to change more emphasis will be put on multi-tasking and the need for employees to have a broad range of skills and a good understanding of the business in which they're working."

"We wanted to create a course that will give participants and their employers an immediate benefit, giving them increased confidence to up-sell and take on additional responsibilities in the workplace. Never has there been a better time for employers to invest time in training which has staff retention as a core aim."

For more information click here or email info@wineguildeducation.org.