Plumpton College has launched a new range of online wine courses designed to open up career routes across the UK wine and spirits industry.
The move gives candidates beyond the South East easier access to specialist training at a moment when British wine is moving from niche interest to serious national employer.
Wine training moves beyond Sussex
Plumpton has long been closely linked with English wine, not least because of its location in Sussex, one of the country’s most important winemaking regions.
Taking more of its education online broadens that reach, making it easier for people in other parts of the country to build relevant skills without relocating.
A sector with more than vineyard jobs
WSTA figures place employment across the UK wine and spirits sector at more than 400,000 jobs, while the industry contributes an estimated £8.9 billion to the economy.
Although the UK remains the world’s second-largest importer of wine, domestic production has grown sharply over the past decade, creating demand for talent across retail, hospitality, logistics, export, events, marketing and sales.
That is the central appeal of Plumpton’s new online offer: wine careers are not only for people who already know how to work in a vineyard or cellar.
Transferable skills and serious earning potential
For career changers, the sector can be surprisingly accessible.
Sales and account management experience can translate into portfolio roles working with restaurants, retailers and distributors, while hospitality and customer service backgrounds can lead naturally into tastings, education and events.
The pay can also be competitive, with some senior wine careers reaching six figures.
- Wine buyers can begin around £31,000, with senior roles rising significantly higher.
- Export managers commonly earn between £32,000 and £52,000, depending on experience.
- Sommeliers may start in the mid-£20,000s, while head sommeliers in leading venues can earn £50,000 or more, often with tips and bonuses.
National Wine Careers Week puts the industry in focus
The launch coincides with National Wine Careers Week, running from 9 to 15 May, an initiative led by Plumpton College and Nyetimber with principal partner NFU Mutual.
Sam Linter, Director of Wine at Plumpton College, said the week is a chance to show how varied the sector has become, adding that wine careers extend well beyond the vineyard and offer opportunities for people transferring skills from other industries.
Eric Heerema, Owner and CEO of The Nyetimber Group, said nurturing new talent is essential for the long-term growth of UK wine, particularly as the sector continues to broaden its professional pathways.
For anyone drawn to wine but unsure where they fit, Plumpton’s online courses offer a practical first step into an industry that now reaches far beyond the bottle.
