Wine Guild launches free hospitality courses

By Lisa Riley

Published: 18 May, 2021

The Wine Guild Education (WGEd), the skills development arm of the Wine Guild of the United Kingdom, has launched a new suite of free hospitality service training courses.

Designed to broaden the skills of hospitality employees and meet the needs of the sector as it emerges from the devastating impact of the pandemic, the Wine Pathway courses comprise Hospitality Team Member Level 2 and Hospitality Supervisor Level 3.

The courses, worth up to £4,500 per student, have been designed to help improve students' 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 and spot sales opportunities and to “sell appropriately”.

As apprenticeships the courses can qualify for up to 100% funding.

“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,” said Mike Hildesley, vice chancellor of the Wine Guild.

“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,” he said.

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, with course delivery 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

“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,” said Hildesley.

The Wine Guild is a membership organisation and is the UK representative of the Paris-based Féderation Internationale des Confrèries Bacchiques, which has 138 members in 25 wine-producing countries.

Further information on the WGEd courses, which are being run in association with training provider Skills Republic, can be found here.