{"id":38540,"date":"2012-12-04T09:57:02","date_gmt":"2012-12-04T07:57:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.whalecottage.com\/blog\/?p=38540"},"modified":"2012-12-04T09:57:02","modified_gmt":"2012-12-04T07:57:02","slug":"wine-sommelier-training-becomes-tourism-priority","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/franschhoek\/wine-sommelier-training-becomes-tourism-priority\/","title":{"rendered":"Wine Sommelier training becomes Tourism priority!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>A new R11 million one-year Sommelier training program has been launched by the Department of Tourism in conjunction with the Cape Wine Academy. \u00a0It is apt that the program was launched in Franschhoek, which was described by Minister of Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk as ‘the best blueprint for wine tourism in SA’. <\/em><\/p>\n

Launched at La Motte last month, the objective of the training program is to grow the skills of 200 learners in one of the identified ‘niche sectors being of particular importance for SA, wine tourism being one of them’<\/em>, said Minister van Schalkwyk, reported the Franschhoek Tatler<\/strong>. \u00a0He added that there were good job prospects once the trainees have completed their program. \u00a0The new sommelier training program follows the Minister’s recent\u00a0Youth Chef training programme.<\/p>\n

Cape Wine Masters Lizette Tolken and Derek Ramsden are some of the lecturers involved in the Sommelier training program, which\u00a0incorporates four six-week practical work segments in the wine industry. For the first practical, which has been completed, distributors and wholesalers such as Distell, Meridian and DGB, Vinimark, Smollens, Liquidity, Panniers, Wine Logistics, Swirls, NixAn Wines, Nicholson Smith, International Wines, together with Beyerskloof, Delheim, Simonsig, Vergelegen and Spier, all took in learners.\u00a0The practicals will also include front-of-house training in restaurants, retail outlets and hotels such as Southern Sun, Ultra Liquors, Spar, Shoprite Checkers, The Butcher Shop & Grill, and The Baron Group.<\/p>\n

Minister Van Schalkwyk has appealed to the private sector to support and enhance the programmes of his Department, and thanked it for the important role it plays in the development and promotion of tourism.\u00a0\u201cIt is well known that the private sector bears the major risks of tourism investment, as well as a large part of the responsibility to satisfy tourists. Through its training programmes, government is committed to encouraging the further growth, development and profitability of the tourism private sector\u00a0by providing already-trained staff, such as these sommeliers, who are immediately able to fulfil a productive role in the hospitality sector,\u201d the Minister concluded.<\/p>\n

While the Sommelier training program is commendable, one wonders why the South African Sommelier Association, under the chairmanship of respected Sommelier and Burrata owner Neil Grant, was not involved.<\/p>\n

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: \u00a0www.whalecottage.com<\/a> Twitter: @WhaleCottage<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A new R11 million one-year Sommelier training program has been launched by the Department of Tourism in conjunction with the Cape Wine Academy. \u00a0It is apt that the program was launched in Franschhoek, which was described by Minister of Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk as ‘the best blueprint for wine tourism in SA’. Launched at La […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[124,14,20,22,21,293],"tags":[3236,9534,32378,2489,1577,17803,9379,1063,32369,17811,1540,13916,17802,7804,2880,17810,17809,17806,4179,230,17805,1072,12439,201,657,52,17808,17812,2692,9837,374,17804,32373,365,17807,1254,17801],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t