South African wine industry renews commitment to scholarships supporting transformation

Industry leaders Vinpro and Graham Beck have teamed up again with the UCT Graduate School of Business (GSB) to fund transformation in the wine industry by creating bursaries for previously disadvantaged individuals on the groundbreaking Business of Wine programme running from 29 May to 7 June 2020. Now in its fifth year, the course is the only one of its kind in South Africa that focuses on the business aspect of wine across the wine business value chain.

According to the Vinpro Foundation their aim is to attract diverse people into the industry, at all levels, across the value chain and to bring about change, particularly within decision-making structures.

“The industry is not only about the farm, not only about selling wine,” says Chris du Toit, CEO of Graham Beck Enterprises. “We need to develop our skills and our staff – as this GSB course does. We need to put our abilities and our energy into our people.”

To capitalise on the growth potential of this industry, it is vital to develop better business skills for those who work in it argues Jonathan Steyn, a business and marketing strategist who convenes the Business of Wine short course at the UCT Graduate School of Business (GSB). The course is the only one of its kind in the country to focus on the business aspect of wine looking across the wine business value chain.

“It really is about unlocking inclusive growth across the entire industry,” says Jonathan Steyn, Business of Wine course convener at the GSB. “And I can’t see how we can achieve this without transforming decision-making structures and without ensuring that wine professionals across the value chain are equipped with relevant business skills.

” Difficult global conditions mean that wine industry professionals will need specialised skills – and a diversity of ideas – in the coming years to cope with the challenges, Steyn says. 

Steyn believes that the mix of delegates is an important part of the course. “From a peer-to-peer-learning point of view, it’s very important that you have selected people from diverse backgrounds and from all points of the value chain. Delegates learn a lot from each other. The conversations that develop from people with very different perspectives in their daily work really help to generate critical insight.”

APPLY FOR THE COURSE AND SCHOLARSHIPS

The GSB Business of Wine course is offered at NQF 8 affording 25 UCT Professional Development credits (250 notional hours of work). Due to the intensity of the course, delegates preferably require a first degree or qualification through RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning). 

To apply for the course or a bursary visit the website or contact Sharman May at [email protected]. Bursary application close 15 April 2019.