Plumpton College aims to elevate UK wine industry education
2nd March 2025
Plumpton College, called home to the UK’s centre of excellence in wine education, training and research, has announced the launch of the National Competency Framework (NCF).
The NCF represents a significant milestone in enhancing standards and professional development within the UK wine industry, the college team said.
Established in 2022 and completed in 2024, the NCF is the result of an extensive collaboration between Plumpton College, the Vintners Company and industry professionals.
Endorsed by Wine GB, this is a comprehensive framework designed to define essential competencies and skills crucial for effective employment across key sectors of the UK wine industry.
By setting clear standards and pathways for progression, the framework aims to cater to diverse skill levels, from entry-level to advanced principles across vineyard, winery, and cellar door practices, with the goal of promoting excellence and professionalism.
Long-term strategic solution for the sector
Sam Linter, director of wine at Plumpton College, said: “The establishment of the National Competency Framework (NCF) represents a strategic step towards ensuring the long-term success of the UK wine industry.
“We recognise this future growth is very dependent on attracting, re-training, and developing a skilled workforce. Rather than continuing to develop short courses or online/in person training programmes on an ad-hoc basis, we felt that the right long-term strategic solution for the sector was to develop a National Competency Framework to inform a systematic approach to a new National Wine Training Programme.”
Ian Harris, former CEO of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and chairman of the Trade Liaison Committee at The Vintner’s Company, added that WineGB 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,” he continued.
Nicola Bates, CEO of WineGB, concluded: “We were pleased to support the development of the National Competency Framework, an essential piece of mapping that shapes the rapid growth of people joining the UK wine scene.
“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.”
The college bosses said that looking ahead, Plumpton College is committed to expanding its course offerings to regional locations and exploring online education formats to enhance accessibility and quality of wine education. Additional courses are set to be introduced in the upcoming years to meet industry demands.
Download your copy of the National Competency Framework and register your interest for courses under the new National Wine Training Programme here.
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