Alexander A. Kohnen (Photo: International Wine Institute) |
"Compared to the many offers of further commercial education, however, wine education is a niche product with many different providers, degrees and a wide variety of prices. This justifiably causes confusion among prospective students," he finds. "The International Wine Institute specialises in in-service training for the catering and trade sectors in its German training programme. We offer well-founded wine training programmes that build on each other: from Commis Sommelier (IWI) and Wine Consultant (IWI) to Sommelier (IHK) and Sommelier Master Class." All courses are part-time and designed as blended learning. There is a high level of compulsory attendance, and in the little free time the participants also have to work on specialist content on the IWI training server and complete assessment tests. "We see ourselves as a young, innovative training company with the highest demands on ourselves and our participants," defines Kohnen. "Admission tests as well as personal counselling interviews before and during a course are obligatory for the flagship courses." As a neutral and independent training institute, the IWI is certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2008 and has an "elite character". "Internationally active lecturers, representative wines and sustainable support for the participants are of utmost importance," says Kohnen. State subsidies are also available for IWI further education courses.
Johannes Steinmetz (Photo: German Wine and Sommelier School) |
According to Steinmetz, the further training to become a certified sommelier (IHK) currently lasts 35 days in different time models (full-time, part-time or long-term) - which are very well accepted according to the individual situation of the participants - and covers all topics of national and international wine and beverage knowledge. Further training offers range from one-day courses on sensory wine evaluation for those interested in wine and enjoyment, to seminars for wine tasters, to IHK-certified courses such as Assistant Sommelier (IHK) or, more recently, Wine Culture Expert (IHK). With the IHK-certified sommelier qualification for the gastronomy and trade sectors, freelance work is also possible, according to information from the DWS. The certified courses are also state-subsidised here.
"With his or her wine and enjoyment tools, a graduate of the DWS responds to the complex challenges of the international wine market in a competent and purposeful manner, proving once again that today no one can afford to stop at his or her initial training, but that knowledge and skills require lifelong further development, especially in such a dynamic industry as the wine industry," Steinmetz formulates. "In this sense, we assess the situation of the continuing education market for qualified educational providers in wine continuing education as absolutely positive."
Kurt Wolf (Photo: Hofa Academy Heidelberg) |
Bernd Glauben (Photo: Sommelier-Union Germany) |
In addition, he said, Sommelier-Union Deutschland has its own further education programme, the Sommelier College, under the direction of Master Sommelier Frank Kämmer, in which young talents are supported with a three-year scholarship on a part-time basis. "Within this Sommelier College we have a contingent of 20 participant places. The participants are trained over a period of three years in regular training sessions and made 'fit' for competitions, so that this training is not comparable with any other," reports Glauben and additionally refers to international offers: "In addition to the classic German educational institutes, there is also the Court of Master Sommeliers for the Master Sommelier exam and the Institute of Masters of Wine for the Master of Wine training. Both institutions are internationally recognised and very renowned."
To Part 1 of the article series: Thirst for knowledge promotes professionalisation
To part 3 of the article series: Dynamic development at the universities