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TAFE SA Announces Scholarship for South Australian Women in Wine

By Friday 17 June 2016May 29th, 2017No Comments
Women in Wine

TAFE SA is introducing a new scholarship to support South Australian women looking for careers in wine.

TAFE SA Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and French wine scholar Gill Gordon-Smith says she had been inspired by the inaugural Australian Women in Wine Awards in 2015 to show support to other women keen to develop their career in the industry.

Ms Gordon-Smith said recent research had shown that women are very under-represented in the wine industry and that their numbers are falling below 10 per cent of the sector’s workforce. She said events such as the Australian Women in Wine Awards had started to shine a light on the lack of diversity and are encouraging more women into the traditionally male sector.

“Having been a WSET educator for seven years, I know the value gained from these internationally recognised courses,” Ms Gordon-Smith said. “I also know the expense involved in these studies.

“I approached Patricia Colbey, my Education Manager at TAFE SA who is responsible for Wine and Viticulture (and also a winemaker), and she was more than happy to support South Australian women wanting to further their WSET journeys.”

McLaren Vale winemaker and Australian Women in Wine Awards advisory committee member Corrina Wright said the amazing work that women are doing in wine should be more widely recognised.

“We have been overwhelmed with the response to the first Australian Women in Wine Awards, and so many of the stories were super-inspiring,” Corrina says. “Even more exciting are the things that have happened since the (national) awards. A number of WSET scholarships have been made available in Victoria to deserving women, and now we have one available in South Australia.

“There is nothing better than being able to help facilitate education for dynamic women in our industry.”

Women who are working in the wine industry in South Australia, and are willing to commit to studies in 2016-17, are eligible for the scholarship, which is to complete WSET Level 2 or 3 Award in Wine and Spirits at TAFE SA’s Barossa, Urrbrae or McLaren Vale campuses. More information on venues and course dates can be found here.

Please email your one-page application – including contact details and a professional referee, and outlining how the scholarship might assist your career – to corrina@oliverstaranga.com by COB on Friday 1 July 2016. Applications will be judged by Gill Gordon-Smith, Corrina Wright and former South Australian MP John Hill. The successful applicant will be notified on Thursday 14 July 2016.

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