Collaboration and development across the wine industry value chain emerged as key themes at the recent affiliates breakfast hosted by the South Africa Wine Industry Professional Body (SAWIPB) in Paarl.
Kachne Ross from South Africa Wine said the event brought stakeholders together to share best practices with the people impacted by the industry every day through networks and training opportunities.
“The language we speak is that of educating and changing the culture of the industry, using the systems and processes that are in place, and making it possible for the industry to have skills and competency.
“The idea is for affiliates to talk to one another and understand what is happening in each one’s world. The industry’s key issues at the moment are to deal with the surpluses that are there, how to sell wine, how to access markets, and what impacts the industry,” she said.
Creating learning job experiences for young graduates
According to the chief executive officer of Agrijobs, Marianne van Jaarsveld, for the industry to grow, deep development of young people should take priority to ensure skills transfer and succession planning.
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“In our experience, young people, when they qualify, whether it is on a graduate level or any other way, have high expectations of walking into a job where they can do a specialist job, and unfortunately that is not how careers start.
“So our role is to bring together the fresh graduates with their theoretical background and academic strength to bring them into the industry for the first job experience, whether it is an internship or graduate placement programme or just an entry-level job. This is done for them to understand how the workplaces work,” she said.
Van Jaarsveld said their work also facilitates and ensures that companies in the agricultural sector, specifically the wine industry, give young people opportunities to realise their potential.
Affiliates at the SAWIPB breakfast recently, discussing development and sharing best practices as stakeholders in the wine industry. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi
“Young people, what they bring to the industry is irreplaceable because older people, whilst they have the experience and passion, the young people bring what is necessary and needed today. They adapt to new technologies quicker, and they also bring fresh energy and quick understanding.”
According to Van Jaarsveld, industries like wine are a great example of how young people have a variety of choices.
“This industry is not going to end tomorrow; we need young people to take up their space. They have the potential; they just need to grab opportunities with both hands and show up. Careers in the industry are a lot; there is no limit. Youth must step up,” she said.
Mario Williams, manager at Free Trade Africa, said it is critically important for stakeholders in the industry to meet and share insights.
“The industry cannot win its challenges alone; we need each other, need one another’s expertise and knowledge,” he said.
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