Tell us about the new National Competency Framework - what are you trying to achieve?
The new National Competency Framework in the UK wine industry was developed with a clear purpose in mind - to understand the skills, competencies, and experience required to support the industry's ongoing success and growth. By establishing this framework, our goal is to assist employers within the industry in their recruitment processes and in crafting detailed job descriptions that align with current industry needs.
Plumpton College's Sam Linter says she wants to help "cultivate a skilled, adaptable, and knowledgeable workforce that can propel the UK wine industry forward in the years ahead".
One of the primary aims of this initiative is to establish a benchmark of essential competencies that will guide consistent training provision in the sector moving forward. Through extensive consultations with key stakeholders across the industry, we have identified existing skills gaps and anticipated future needs.
This valuable insight has enabled Plumpton College to tailor training programs that address these gaps directly, offering targeted support to both current professionals and newcomers entering the industry.
Why have you decided to look at this issue now?
The decision to address the issue of skills and competencies within the UK wine industry at this juncture is driven by a combination of significant growth trends and the pressing need to build a sustainable workforce for the future.
The industry has experienced rapid expansion in recent years, evident with 94% growth in vine plantings over the last five years and sales of sparkling wine over 187% since 2018. Still wines are not far behind with 117% sales growth since 2018.
Defra figures from 2024 further showcases this growth, highlighting that wine grapes now make up a notable 36% of England's soft fruit crop. (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/agricultural-land-use-in-England)
As the sector continues to flourish, the demand for a skilled workforce is escalating. Current employment statistics reveal a mix of full-time and part-time roles, with plans for a 50% surge in full-time employee recruitment over the next three years as per the WineGB Industry Survey 2024.
Projections suggest the industry will require around 30,000 employees by 2040, underlining the urgency to attract and nurture new talent to meet future workforce demands.
Recognising the pivotal role it plays as the UK wine centre of excellence, Plumpton College has taken proactive steps to address these workforce challenges now. By focusing on developing the National Competency Framework, the college aims to support the industry's growth trajectory by cultivating a skilled, adaptable, and knowledgeable workforce that can propel the UK wine industry forward in the years ahead.
What are the steps you have taken in order to put the "framework" together and ensure it is covering the right areas?
New training and educational support will be given to bring viticultural, winemaking and other skills, including technology, into the UK wine industy. Picture Christoper Lanaway
This process has taken three years and was not an easy task. To kick start the process, a working group comprising representatives from prominent UK vineyards, wineries, and cellar doors was formed. This collective expertise was instrumental in deconstructing the required competencies and experiences for various job roles within viticulture, winemaking/production, and the cellar door operations.
Working with these businesses helped us identify the job roles they had in place and those they needed, therefore identifying any gaps or emerging roles that needed to be addressed. This process took a couple of years to complete, with support from the Vintners Company.
Ian Harris, chairman of the trade liaison committee at The Vintner's Company says of the scheme: “Wine GB predicts that by 2040, the UK wine industry will annually produce over 40 million bottles of wine. The NCF is poised to educate and train individuals for this expansion, playing a pivotal role in paving the way for the UK to emerge as a prominent player in the global wine market, and the Vintners’ Company is proud to support this educational initiative."
The next steps were to carry out an industry consultation, which we did through focus groups, including WineGB regional associations, viticulture, winemaking, training and education committee, production and training committee, as well as key stakeholders in the wider wine industry.
Feedback was sought from various perspectives to validate the framework and incorporate diverse insights. We also spoke with DEFRA and WineGB board to further enrich the development process, ensuring that the framework resonated with overarching industry goals and regulatory frameworks.
The framework is designed to be a dynamic tool that evolves alongside industry requirements. We expect to review this annually and make any necessary updates, and seamlessly incorporate new job roles and competencies as they emerge in response to industry developments.
What skills in particular do you think the industry needs to be investing in and acquiring and why?
Plumpton College is leading the roll out of the National Competency Framework
Viticulture is a key area needing a bigger workforce than winemaking. Cellar door/tourism is growing fast and we are seeing increasing demands from there too. We also need to be investing further in technology to improve efficiency, environmental practices etc.
You are also working with WineGB and Vintners Company on this - what is their involvement and how are you working together?
Our collaboration with WineGB and the Vintners Company has been essential for developing the National Competency Framework for the UK wine industry. WineGB have been instrumental in supporting access for many of the various focus groups, advising to and endorsing the framework. The Vintners Company kindly supported the creation and research of the framework.
Are you looking to create a curriculum under the NCF for people to take - or will it be a case of creating different courses for people to sign up to?
Yes, we are, and we have launched several new short courses already informed from the consultation process and skills gaps identified. Moving forward, we will continue to utilise the framework to inform and update the teaching content within the curriculum, ensuring that it remains relevant and aligned with industry needs and standards.
You say you want to create a "National Competency Framework to inform a systematic approach to a new National Wine Training Programme.” What do you mean by this?
Creating a National Competency Framework for the new National Wine Training Programme involves mapping out the essential skills needed for individuals entering the UK wine industry. This framework establishes clear standards, skills, and behaviours required for various roles in the sector. It serves as a reference point to maintain quality in wine production and support our industry's growth and success into the future!
How are you going to promote this outside the industry to attract new pools of talent who might not consider a career in wine?
Absolutely, we have a stage two plan for this which we will be announcing soon. Watch this space.
How will the NFC be regulated to ensure the standards are kept to - who will be responsible for overseeing that?
The National Competency Framework (NCF) will be regulated and overseen by various entities to ensure that standards are upheld. As an education provider, we collaborate with the University of Greenwich for quality assurance of our degree courses. Additionally, we have our own teaching and learning quality team dedicated to maintaining standards across all the courses we offer.
WineGB has endorsed the framework, and we will continue to seek their endorsement for any future updates or amendments, further ensuring the credibility and consistency of the NCF within the industry.
WineGB's Nicola Bates says the NFC is "an essential piece of mapping that shapes the rapid growth of people joining the UK wine scene"
Nicola Bates, chief executive of WineGB, has said the NFC is "an essential piece of mapping that shapes the rapid growth of people joining the UK wine scene".
She has said: "This is an important industry reference point that sets clear standards, skills, and behaviours necessary for the different roles within our sector. Plumpton College’s work in driving forward the Framework has been pivotal. We are proud to endorse Framework and are grateful to our members for sharing their expertise to help develop this comprehensive resource.”
Will people who take part in NFC get a professionally recognised educational qualification?
They will receive a Plumpton certificate upon completion of the part time short courses. Those who undertake standalone Continuing Professional Development (CPD) modules can attain UCAS credits and may progress towards earning a Plumpton Diploma or even a degree qualification, thus obtaining professionally recognised educational qualifications through their involvement in the NFC.
Will this only be available at Plumpton College or will people be able to take courses online and around the country?
We have initiated regional course delivery and are gradually expanding this approach to offer courses in various locations across the country. In our phase two plan, we aim to provide online learning options, as well as a blended learning approach combining online instruction within class practical sessions. This will enhance accessibility and flexibility for individuals interested in participating in the NCF from different regions.
Anything else to say?
A big thank you to everyone involved in advising and contributing to this. It was a huge undertaking.
* You can find out more about the new National Competency Framework and what it means here.
