Wineries Look for Skilled Labor
Europeans have long been known for their love of wine. But only recently
has wine captured the heart of North Americans.
According to the experts, there are several reasons for the wine boom in
both Canada and the U.S.
Richard Vine is a food science professor at Purdue University in Indiana.
He says the wine industry in North America has been cyclical for the last
few hundred years. But he adds that it is currently hotter than it's ever
been and the trend is only expected to continue.
Simon Cumming is director of marketing for the British Columbia Wine Institute.
He says this boom has been triggered by a number of factors. These include
increased awareness of potential health benefits, consumer loyalty, increased
media attention and baby boomers switching their "beverage of choice" from
beer and spirits to wine.
In the U.S., the growth of the wine industry is prominent.
This rapid growth means a greater demand for workers. Of course, different
parts of North America are feeling the crunch more. And depending on who you
listen to, the seriousness of the situation varies.
Bob Cranston is the founder of the Wine Authority newsletter and website
in California. He says there isn't "a glaring short-term shortage of workers."
But several thousand skilled vineyard and winery workers will be added to
the industry within the next five to 10 years.
However, Vine believes the only shortage facing the wine industry is on
the administration and marketing side. "Good young talent is in big demand,"
he says. He adds that other industries are attracting sales and marketing
employees away from the wine industry.
Yet others believe there is, or will be, an employee shortage throughout
the wine industry. This means field and cellar workers as well as technical
people will be in big demand.
"There is a tremendous demand for skilled labor," says Mark Chandler of
the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission. He believes the labor component
on the planting side is beginning to balance itself out. However, "the ongoing
demand for vineyard cultivation and maintenance will provide steady labor
demand for a long time," he says.
Others say there's a shortage of skilled people right now. Steve Burns
is the executive director of the Washington Wine Commission. "There's an obscene
shortage of workers," he says. He points out that the Washington wineries
are actively recruiting employees from the Napa Valley in California.
Patrick Wofford is the senior managing partner at Benchmark Consulting
in California. He agrees. "The industry has been professionalizing," says
Wofford. That means it's paying higher wages than before and is now in need
of people with both academic and professional training.
Some of the wine employment websites list jobs requiring a degree and experience.
But those without the degree currently have as good a chance of finding employment
as those with a degree.
"At the moment, the experience is almost as valuable as the degree," says
Peter Godden. He works with the Australian Wine Research Institute. "If the
bubble should burst, the story could very well change."
As in the U.S., Godden says in Australia, there is a shortage of skilled
tertiary winemakers. And a shortage in experienced cellar and laboratory staff
isn't far behind.
"Good staff are worth their weight in gold," says Godden. Graduates are
being snapped up right out of school. Although he believes there could well
be a worker shortage, he doubts it will become severe.
One reason for this, perhaps, is that more universities and colleges are
offering programs in viticulture (grape growing) and oenology (winemaking).
The Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) provides students
with degrees in oenology and viticulture.
Ron Subden is the director of CCOVI. He says most students are co-op students.
That means they're getting an education along with much-needed experience.
"We're starting to keep up with [worker] demand," says Linda Franklin.
She is the executive director of a wine council. She credits the CCOVI program
with helping provide the necessary workers for the market. "Our industry felt
it was critical to have this kind of program to expand our market."
And the experts expect the wine boom to continue. "I don't really see a
downturn any time soon," says Vine. He expects no changes in the market for
at least five to eight years.
"If you have the right foundation, there are multiple opportunities," adds
Wofford. "These are the best of times in the wine industry."
Links
Wine Institute
This site provides information on industry statistics, health
and wine research and more
Winebusiness.com
This site provides job listings
How Winemaking Works
Learn about the process of making wine
DrinkWine.com
Wine and winery information directly from the leaders in the
wine industry
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