With 1,030 vineyards, 221 wineries and a vibrant community of wine connoisseurs, it is one of the most sought-after places to work in the global wine trade. So are we talking about Tuscany? Or Bordeaux? Or Napa Valley? No, Britain.
English and Welsh bottles are the toast of the wine world, with a string of award winners, including premier wines from Hambledon Vineyard's cuvée brut NV and white wines from Three Choirs Vineyards. Seven per cent of British wine is now exported abroad, with growing demand for its delicious and elegant flavours.
A recent Aldi report showed that 15 per cent of customers consider wine produced in the UK the best in the world, with the supermarket chain recording a 60 per cent increase in sales over the past year.
to To keep pace with rising global sales, the wine industry is expanding rapidly and is now the fastest growing agricultural sector in the country. The total cultivated area has increased by 123 percent in ten years, and experts expect it to nearly double again by 2032, providing high-quality employment opportunities in rural areas.
Nicola Betts, chief executive of national trade body WineGB, says: “The English and Welsh wine industry is innovative, internationally recognized as a benchmark for high quality and growing at a rapid pace. It is uplifting farming communities by providing highly skilled workers and an increasingly sustainable and high-tech sector.” .
This Saturday is the start of English Wine Week, highlighting job opportunities for growers across the country. The industry employs 2,300 full-time employees and 8,300 part-time and seasonal employees, but with production levels expected to reach 28.8 million bottles by 2032, a new influx of staff is needed to meet targets.
“The prospects for the local wine industry are amazing. English sparkling wines are now widely seen on wine lists across the hospitality sector, and will continue to This is growing.
“It is a fast-growing sector and one that now attracts people from a wide range of backgrounds, from traditional farmers and viticulturists to marketers, brand developers and even, in some cases, data analysts and technologists.”
WineGB analysis shows strong demand for new vineyard managers and workers, as well as winemakers, operations managers and cellar workers. Besides, wine tourism is proving popular with British and international visitors, accounting for 24 per cent of income, according to a 2023 industry report. Some vineyards are investing in on-site restaurants and accommodation, opening up roles for hospitality managers and staff.
The first route into the industry is to study at Plumpton College, East Sussex, which offers 22 industry-leading winemaking courses. These programs range from a Bachelor's degree in International Wine Business or a Bachelor's degree in Viticulture and Enology to third-level apprenticeships for crop technicians, along with a course in wine sales and social responsibility.
As Managing Director of award-winning Hambledon Vineyard, James Osborne is at the forefront of industry growth. He said: “At the moment, the UK wine industry is a very exciting place. There is a great sense of optimism in the sector, so I would encourage anyone who has a passion for wine, being out in nature and working in a sustainable business to consider working in the English wine industry.” “It is time for more inclusivity and diversity in this sector.”
Trading tips
The wine business is a competitive industry to break into, so James Osborne, from WineGB and Hambledon Vineyard, offers these tips.
⬤ Don't wait for the job advertisement but communicate directly with the wine company owner or vineyard owner. Highlight your transferable skills and the value you can add to their business.
⬤ Start learning at Plumpton College. See plumton.ac.uk/courses/wine-division.
⬤ Gain qualification through Wine & Spirit Education Trust courses. See wsetglobal.com.
⬤ Consider work experience in a vineyard or winery. Working at the harvest or picking grapes is a good start.
⬤ Networking at industry events. Wine is a small, collective industry full of people who are happy to make introductions.
⬤ Select the area in which you would like to specialize: winemaking, viticulture, sales and operations, export, tourism and hospitality or marketing and communications.
⬤ Find a mentor. There are a lot of experienced people who are willing to support the training.
⬤ Find roles on winejobsengland.com.
⬤ Apply for vocational training at any age. Many people retrain to work in wine in their 50s.
⬤ Get rid of the rose-colored glasses. It takes hard work, determination, and a willingness to work in all weathers to succeed, but the wine industry is one of the most rewarding industries to work in.
The thrill of the harvest
Nick Crane Crombie, 52, is the vineyard manager at Hambledon Vineyard near Waterlooville, Hampshire. He worked in the music industry for 20 years and then managed wine merchants before taking up the role in 2018.
For him, the best parts of the job are “working alongside nature and biodiversity in the beautiful South Downs National Park, and being part of a like-minded team that produces world-class sparkling wines. We constantly strive to improve our processes to achieve best practice, which is an atmosphere Positive to participate in.
Nick Crane Crombie came to the wine industry after a 20-year career in the music business
“Vineyard managers need good attention to detail and confidence in decision-making. Delegating tasks to teams is essential to managing 90 hectares of vineyards. I have WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) and RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) qualifications, which are useful, although “A general passion for viticulture is the best quality for anyone working in the wine business. There is a great sense of satisfaction when the grapes are delivered to the winery and the harvest is completed.”
News summary
Third sector
With nearly two in five charities facing a skills shortage, new not-for-profit The Well Placed is linking experienced mid-life business marketers with six-month paid jobs in the third sector. Available areas include fundraising, campaigns and membership. Maya Bose, founder of The Well Placed, said: “The Well Placed Foundation works to bridge this gap, giving over-50s the opportunity to turn their experience into purpose and to help charities find a solution to their skills shortage.” See thewellplaced.org.
Adopting artificial intelligence
UK employees typically spend a third of their working day on “meaningless” tasks, a new study by communications platform Slack claims. The most common low-value work includes unnecessary meetings, unimportant emails, and excessive paperwork or data entry. Christina Janzer, head of Slack's Workforce Lab, urged companies to adopt AI for core tasks. “If UK businesses can provide the right training and support, they can unleash a smarter, simpler and more fulfilling way of working,” she said.
“labor accumulation”
Employment agency Robert Half has identified a new trend that could harm Britain's economic prospects. This is called “labor hoarding,” and it involves companies increasingly seeking to retain employees in light of the scarcity of specialized talent. According to Matt Weston, the company's senior director: “Employers realize that if they cannot provide the talent they need when the economy is weak, they will have less opportunity when the economy rebounds. As such, they are doing everything they can to retain workers and limit the impact on productivity rates.” Really low.
Sick note warning in euros
Football fans have been warned they could be disciplined, or even sent off, if they call in sick after England's Euro 2024 opening match against Serbia. Gene Harrison, of law firm Richard Nelson, said: “Given the match will be played on a Sunday night, many fans are likely to enjoy a few drinks. If an employer believes their employee has called in sick and it is not the case – such as recovering from alcohol – they can investigate case and may take disciplinary action.
Appointment of the week
Counter Terrorism Police are recruiting for a Business Change Support Officer to deliver a range of change across the CTP network. The role will involve supporting a team of Change Managers to deliver complex projects and programmes, which deliver sustainable change across the National Police Counter Terrorism Network.
Candidates will need experience supporting change, along with excellent IT and Microsoft Office skills, as well as a strong attention to detail so that deliverables are accurate and contain the information necessary to support effective decision-making. Additional experience working for a government, security agency or within a police environment will be appreciated, as will experience working in a project environment.
Applicants must undergo or be prepared to undergo a process known as a national security screening screening, and be prepared to undergo advanced screening once on the job. In addition, the role is limited to UK nationals or, in approved circumstances, dual nationals of which one element is British.
The salary for the role ranges from £34,448 to £36,864, depending on experience, plus site allowances totaling £2,841. The role is based in London, with some work mixed in.
Apply at appointments.thetimes.co.uk by 10 July.
