The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), the world’s largest provider of wine and spirits qualifications, has confirmed new Approved Programme Providers (APPs) in Kenya, Macedonia and Slovakia. The new providers will be the first to offer WSET courses to professionals and enthusiasts in all three countries, further expanding the availability of WSET’s qualifications to over 75 countries.
WSET’s International Development Director, Jude Mullins, comments, “Demand for wine and spirit education is rising globally, so WSET continually strives to offer qualifications through Approved Programme Providers in every market that shows potential and desire for further knowledge.
These new WSET course providers are particularly well placed to develop the expertise of staff working in the hospitality sector. Previous studies have shown that hotels, restaurants and bars that have trained their staff through WSET qualifications saw significant return on investment, with increased profits thanks to staff’s increased confidence in upselling to premium product ranges. We look forward to working with these APPs to help businesses in these regions benefit from better educated staff, while inspiring local enthusiasts to learn more.”
Student candidates at WSET APP Hospitality Competence Center East Africa
Hospitality Competence Center East Africa has been approved to offer WSET Level 1 Award in Wines and Level 2 Award in Wines and Spirits. The Center will offer courses to the public but will focus on catering to those working in the hospitality sector. They are looking to form partnerships with some of the leading hotels in the region and work with on-trade businesses to educate their staff, enabling them to better cater to the burgeoning wine drinking market in Kenya. In future, they plan to extend their offer across East Africa, into Tanzania, Uganda and even Seychelles.
The new Macedonian course provider, Wine Educator, has been launched by Tikves, the largest wine producer in the Balkans. Their plan is to educate the ever-growing number of trade professionals who they supply, particularly on-trade staff, but will also extend their offer by inviting interested enthusiasts to expand their knowledge through WSET qualifications. They will offer WSET Level 1 Award in Wines and Level 2 Award in Wines and Spirits.
Similarly, Liquid Academy in Slovakia will be focusing their efforts on training staff working in on-trade premises through WSET Level 1 Award in Wines and Level 2 Award in Wines and Spirits. They will also cater to the consumer market, opening up the availability of WSET qualifications to the wider public in the region.
WSET courses in each of these countries will be conducted in English. For upcoming course dates, candidates should contact the APP directly.
