Wine National Competency Framework
The first National Competency Framework (NCF) for the UK Wine Industry has been launched following development by Plumpton College with the support of a generous grant from the Vintners’ Company.
The NCF represents a strategic solution to ensure the future growth and success of the UK wine industry which is very dependent on attending training and developing a skilled workforce.
Competency frameworks exist in other industries and parts of the world and are seen as a means of driving standards, supporting improved recruitment and retention, and offering people a clear means of progression and development. They benefit both employees and employers.
Plumpton College produced the NCF in close collaboration with industry professionals and through various consultations with WineGB members. Research, knowledge, and experience from other wine-growing regions have been considered.
Having a competency framework in place allows an industry to:
- Use a common language and set of standards when recruiting, appraising and developing staff in that industry.
- Access a common framework with which to help write job roles and descriptions, assess individual performance at interviews or in their role, set targets for performance and importantly, identify areas for further upskilling/training development
The NCF is structured around the three key employment areas within the industry: Vineyard, Winery and Cellar Door/Business. Each of these key sectors is then divided into key jobs with associated job responsibilities that staff would typically perform in that role. For each responsibility associated with a job, one or more competency statements have been identified. For each competency statement, a list of knowledge and skills required has been identified and aligned to entry-level, intermediate or advanced-level roles available.
The NCF also includes areas of general competencies relevant to all three key employment areas, such as understanding and meeting health and safety requirements.
Now that the NCF has been completed, Plumpton College has developed the first phase of its new National Wine Training Programme (NWTP). This will enable people from all over the country to participate and benefit from training taught not just in person at Plumpton College but at other locations.
To ensure accessibility, the new NWTP will in future include elements of online and hybrid learning, as well as practical and theory courses. Further courses will be offered in future years, and the NCF itself will be reviewed every three years.
Sam Linter, Director of Wine at Plumpton College said: ‘The NCF and the NWTP is vital to ensuring that our industry is open to all who want to join it and to ensure that people have the necessary skills and expertise. At a time of rapid growth, we need to have enough skilled people to ensure expansion and success. The NCF and NWTP will support these goals and continue to evolve with more new courses being rolled out in years to come.'
