New figures from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) have revealed that the demand for wine and spirits education is higher than ever – both in Australia and globally.
WSET, the largest global provider of qualifications in the field of wines and spirits, is reporting a record 85,487 candidates taken globally in the academic year finishing 31 July 2017, an increase of 19% on last year.
Australia moved up from 8th to 7th place, seeing 27% growth in candidate numbers compared to the 2015-2016 academic year.
As more and more consumers seek to learn more about wine and spirits, so rises the need for more knowledgeable staff – encouraging professional to pursue accredited qualifications and hospitality business to prioritise formal training to cater to discerning tastes.
“I am delighted to see that more and more businesses are recognising that education and well-trained staff are the foundations to better customer service and stronger profits,” said Ian Harris, WSET Chief Executive.
“After another successful year for WSET we’re setting out strategies to take our progress to the next level.”
The sheer volume of wine, spirit and sake samples tasted through WSET courses also makes them a key contributor to the market; through WSET classroom tastings, approximately 154,759 litres (or $6.1 million AUD) of wine was tasted worldwide – more than the annual total for Honduras.
A further 3,121 litres of spirits and approximately 566 litres of sake were also consumed.
So if you’re thinking about sending yourself or your staff to a WSET course, the time is ripe.
