Landing a job in the wine industry often times starts with a wine education.Before you get too excited, a wine education does not mean a wine tasting(although it would nice if they did). Many careers in the wine industry requireBachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, or even a certificate of wine knowledge.Further, the colleges or universities that typically offer these programs aremainly located within the largest wine-producing states. However, let’s startwith what programs are offered for a Bachelor’s degree and which schools offerthem.
Bachelor’s degrees that are typically required in the wine industry areViticulture or Enology degrees. These programs are intense with a variedscience background. Basically, these are programs for the science of wine orwinemaking. These degrees will be required if you aspire to one day be awinemaker or a viticulturist (grape grower). If getting dirty in the vineyardsor cellar isn’t your style, a few schools offer Business degrees withconcentrations in Wine Business. If managing or owning a winery is your futureaspiration, this degree would be a perfect stepping stone.
Here are some schools that offer at least one of these programs in thisfield:
- Washington State University: This school offers a Viticulture/EnologyBachelor’s degree program.
- Cornell University of New York: This university offers aViticulture/Enology Bachelor’s degree.
- Fresno State College: They offer a Viticulture/Enology Bachelor’s degree,Masters of Science in Viticulture/Enology, and certificates of study inViticulture/Enology.
- Sonoma State University: This school offers a Wine Business StrategiesBachelor’s degree.
- UC Davis College: This college offers a Viticulture/Enology Bachelor’sdegree.
To get into many of these programs, a background in math, chemistry andbiology is recommended and preferred.
It goes without saying, but a relatively high GPA (requirements will vary byschool) will aid the entrance to one of these schools- especially in those coreclasses. Further, many of the insiders consider this a “people business” andrecommend high interpersonal skills as well as activities to support thatfact.
Depending on the wine industry position your heart is set on, it may onlyrequire a certificate of knowledge. Certificate programs typically will onlytake one to two years for completion. These concentrations will vary by school,but examples of possible certificates are wine business, wine marketing, orviticulture/enology.
Many of the same schools that offer Bachelor’s degrees offer certificateprograms; they can also be found under community colleges as a stepping stonetowards a Bachelor’s. However, here are some schools that offer certificateprograms:
- Northwest Wine Academy (through South Seattle Community College): Thiscommunity college offers certificates in winemaking, wine marketing and sales,and wine and food pairing.
- Walla Walls Community College: This college offers a certificate of winemarketing and management.
- Santa Rosa Junior College: This school offers certificates in winebusiness and marketing, enology, and wine service and hospitality.
Finding and affording a college or certificate program can be a difficulttask. Many schools offer financial aid and some offer scholarships, so it isimportant to do research on all the major schools for deciding on one.
Additionally, it is important to give consideration to which type of degreeyou wish to study before committing to a school. Some schools only offerEnology programs; others only put forward a wine business curriculum.
Finally, talk to some of the current students in the program. How are theyfinancing their education? How difficult is the program for them? Are they ableto work part-time or full-time while attending school? Make sure to find outall relevant information before choosing and applying to a school for your wineeducation.
Wine consumption in the U.S. is up. Maybe it’s the poor economy or the factthat it’s so visible in stores and on TV. Whatever the case, people areinterested in wine. If it’s an obsession, then make wine a career. The industryis big and getting bigger, so finding winery jobs is easier.Learn the business and about wine degreeprograms on JobMonkey.