Angola has faced significant challenges over the years, including an economic crisis in 2014 and a 27-year civil war that lasted until 2002. Despite these hardships, tourism is now on the rise, and there is a high demand for skilled professionals in the hospitality and wine trade sectors. However, many Angolan people cannot afford education.
This programme, a collaboration between Sogrape Wine Academy, the Gérard Basset Foundation (GBF), and WSET, addressed these challenges by providing training as essential tools for the development and career progression of local professionals.
Objectives
By providing the WSET Level 1 Award in Wines course, the project aimed to:
- Equip participants with essential wine knowledge and skills for career development
- Provide a learning pathway that builds knowledge, confidence, and support
- Offer a globally recognised qualification that is recognised by employers and professionals
- Enable greater access to education in Angola and neighbouring countries in sub-Saharan Africa by establishing Sogrape Wine Academy as a WSET course provider
Project details
A three-day training programme was held in Luanda, the commercial and political capital of Angola, with 15 scholarship holders from the hospitality and tourism sector participating.
The programme included:
- Two days of preparatory courses by the Sogrape Wine Academy to help participants become familiar with the teaching and learning environment
- One day dedicated to the WSET Level 1 Award in Wines course, conducted in Portuguese
Outcomes & impact
- 14 participants were successfully certified, with two achieving a score of 97%
- This initiative marked a historic moment as the first WSET-certified wine training in Angola
- The success of this project led to plans for additional Level 1 courses, which will be followed by Level 2 courses for previous participants
- Opportunities to expand to other cities in Angola and to Namibia
"This partnership is a concrete example of how we can contribute to empowering professionals, creating a positive impact in communities, and driving the sustainable development of wine culture in Angola.”
— Filipe Gonçalves
Executive Board Member
Sogrape
