Industry body South Africa Wine (SA Wine) has announced the establishment of the South African Wine Industry Professional Body (SAWIPB) as a strategic asset to support the industry’s human resource and skills development processes, as well as to enable transformation of the wine industry.

The voluntary, self-regulated professional body will grow the maturity of identified disciplines in the industry by contributing to its body of knowledge, relevance, governing principles and accessibility to new and existing practitioners.

SA Wine people and skills development manager Kachné Ross says SAWIPB was established to develop people and support industry-related entities to ensure social sustainability.

The body is mandated to grow the competency base of the industry’s workers by means of voluntary association, which is formalised with specific designations.

“With this initiative, we aim to maintain knowledge and skills to perform optimally, to help workers remain up to date with new technology, regulations, and industry trends and to inform decision processes aimed at growing the industry,” Ross explains.

SAWIPB has four specific functions: to inform industry-specific people development initiatives, designate individuals, promote participation in the professional body and build a support structure within the wine industry.

The professional body will promote the skills and competence of people in the industry’s four subsectors: primary production, secondary production, tourism and marketing, and logistics and distribution.

SAWIPB will also assist learning and development initiatives to address skills needs, monitor and address the equity targets in the industry, acknowledge worker potential, initiate and manage continuous professional development, and promote a professional code of conduct. 

Ross concludes that the wine industry now has a customised all-in-one structure for people and career development. “By being a member, people can follow a learning pathway that promotes their careers, be designated as industry professionals and apply for recognition of previous learning.

Membership is free of charge for the first year, thereafter the affiliation fee is R1 000 a year. Organisations, affiliations and individuals can register at www.sawipb.co.za.