Drostdy Hof is looking to jump-start the wine career of a promising young woman.
“The popular wine brand is collaborating with Stellenbosch-based Pinotage Youth Development Academy (PYDA), an independent organisation that prepares disadvantaged young matriculants for jobs in the wine, tourism and allied sectors,” a statement about the programme said.
According to the statement, the year-long work-readiness programme includes technical and on-the-job learning, with a strong accent on personal development.
Apart from funding the core wine qualification facilitated by the University of Stellenbosch for 50 2019 students, Drostdy Hof will, together with the academy, hand-pick for additional post-qualification training, a single talented female from the group.
“Identified for her combination of wine academic excellence, aptitude and inter-personal skills, the 2019 graduate will embark on a year-long internship to learn various aspects of the wine business from production and planning to marketing and sales,” the statement said.
The successful candidate will get a four-week stint in Sweden, a key market for Drostdy Hof, where the young woman will meet members of the country’s trade and its local wine lovers.
The successful candidate may even be involved in developing a new wine for Drostdy Hof.
The PYDA graduate will spend 2020 interning with Drostdy Hof’s mother company, the Distell Group, South Africa’s biggest wine player that trades across the world.
The graduate will also be mentored by a handful of high-level executives, including Distell’s director of corporate and regulatory affairs, Bridgitte Backman.
“Meaningful work for our graduates in demand-led industries is the fundamental outcome of our programme. That’s why we are really excited to be able to offer this post-graduation career break to the right woman student. It is an exceptional learning opportunity,” PYDA’s executive director Nikki Munro, said. – SAnews.gov.za
