6 minute read
Growing Careers
New Zealand School of Winegrowing
SOPHIE PREECE
NEW ZEALAND’S wine industry has boosted its support for the New Zealand School of Winegrowing, with funding, grapes, juice and tertiary training on offer. Natasha Radich, Marlborough Boys’ College wine development officer, says a $25,000 funding boost from New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) has been accompanied by growing support from individual wine companies and Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT).
Cloudy Bay has come on board with substantial funding for the school, as well as the promise of mentoring and support for students. Wine communications manager Kat Mason says that might include vineyard visits, harvesting grapes for winemaking at school, opportunities to visit the bottling line, “and perhaps some real life business modelling”.
The sponsorship is win-win, with Cloudy Bay able to support Marlborough’s community and colleges, while “raising up new young blood for the wine industry”, says Kat. “We win because we end up with engaged young people keen to join the wine industry.” She says the course and experiences it provides will help students see the positive career pathways available in wine, while arming them with qualifications to propel them on their way. “If Covid has taught us anything, it’s that we need to encourage young New Zealanders to get into the wine industry and see the opportunities that are there for them.”
The wine school was established in 2018, as a collaboration between the Marlborough Girls’ and Marlborough Boys’ Colleges, Wine Marlborough, NZW, and several Marlborough businesses, vineyards and wineries. This year it evolved its programme, so students
Kat Mason
Rebecca Kane, left and Natasha Radich. Photo by George de Jager
could “dip a toe” into the school, without taking all of their subjects through it, says Natasha, who works with wine school teacher Rebecca Kane. That’s resulted in a leap to 25 students experiencing some aspect of the wine school this year. “We have reached more students – instead of five or six kids that do it full-time, we have some that do two out of their six subjects, or four, or one out of six… It means we are experiencing a wider range of students.”
And while seven of the Year 12 and 13 wine school students have decided on a full immersion experience this vintage, with winery placements around the province, others have opted to stay at school for classes. Those students had the opportunity to pick grapes at Cloudy Bay in March, in order to make their own wine at the school lab. That was pretty “fabulous” says Natasha, explaining that they will make Sauvignon Blanc with various yeasts as part of their study. The students on vintage during that period will be given juice, and will also have the opportunity to make their own wine.
Natasha says the school feels a “bit revitalised” this year, thanks to the revised structure allowing partial involvement, and also because of a new relationship with NMIT that has seen 10 students visit the tertiary provider once a week, to undertake the Level 3 New Zealand Certificate in Cellar Operations, as part of the wine school’s two-year course.
NZW general manager advocacy Jeffrey Clarke says the industry body’s goal is for winegrowing to be an industry of choice for workers, “and the New Zealand School of Winegrowing is a great initiative towards that”. The school has worked hard to develop a new approach to teaching NCEA subjects within a broad winegrowing context, “and finding exactly the right formula has taken time”, says Jeffrey. “We’re hopeful this fourth year of NZW funding – and the greater number of students now participating – will allow the programme to really hit its stride, and hopefully provide a basis for more use of winegrowing around New Zealand within the curriculum.”
The school helps “open a doorway to a huge employment opportunity”, says Beth Forrest, of Forrest
Nicci Armour
Estate. Last year, when Covid-19 lockdown meant the wine school couldn’t harvest its own grapes, Forrest organised contactless delivery of Riesling juice to the school, so the students could make their own wine when they returned. They’ve offered to supply juice again this year, says Beth, who is also a member of the Marlborough Winegrowers board. “I think it’s a really fantastic advancement in modern schooling,” she says of the school. “Wine and viticulture is such a practical, hands on industry, and these kids can learn and do at the same time.”
Wine Marlborough advocacy manager Nicci Armour says the wine school is doing “wonderful” work. “The school itself is a really critical avenue for young people to get into the industry,” she says. “For me it’s key for the long term strategy for labour.” Nicci applauds the collaboration between the colleges and NMIT, and with companies like Cloudy Bay. “Those are examples of the real problem solving happening, to support bringing young people into the industry.” winegrowing.school.nz
From wine school to the world
SOPHIE PREECE
Jack Fransen’s school day begins at 7am at Wither Hills winery, and winds up 12 hours later, after a full vintage shift. It’s far from a typical classroom, but the Year 12 Marlborough Boys’ College student is relishing the chance to experience the buzz of harvest, as part of his year in the New Zealand School of Winegrowing (NZSWG).
“Our teachers have told us once we have this couple of years of vintages under our belts we can go anywhere in the world,” says Jack, who’s already planning to continue with wine school in Year 13, then build up his winery experience in Marlborough, before travelling from “season to season”.
Jack’s first experience of the NZSWG came at the end of Year 11, when he went to a “trial run” of the classes and was hooked, jumping into the school fulltime this year. He had been told by his parents to get a trade behind him “and building is not my thing,” he says, pleased to discover that cellar hand work really is.
The year to date has included weekly visits to Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT), which collaborates with the wine school so students can study towards a Level 3 New Zealand Certificate in Cellar Operations. As vintage began to heat up, Jack started biking to Wither Hills for a 6am start.
Withers Hills winemaker Patricia Miranda-Taylor says the company is committed to helping young local New Zealanders, and to being active in the Marlborough community, “so the New School of Winegrowing is a
Jack Fransen
perfect fit for us”. Jack has been an “excellent worker full of energy and enthusiasm”,she adds. “We feel very lucky to have him as part of the vintage 2021 crew.”
Jack thinks border closures, and the subsequent shortage of experienced winery staff, have provided more opportunities to young and eager cellar hands like him and his wine school friends. “When I came in I was told not to worry because I had no experience,” he says. “I rocked up with pretty much the same knowledge as other people there.” And the winery has given him a warm welcome, he says. “The first safety briefing was really, really good. You instantly felt like you were at home. It’s a really good environment.”
