A skills-based wine workforce
The wine industry in New Zealand is a cornerstone of our economy, renowned for its diverse product offerings and complex supply chain. As consumer preferences evolve and global markets expand, the industry faces both opportunities and challenges. To navigate these changes, a comprehensive understanding of the workforce is essential. BERL was commissioned by Wine Marlborough in partnership with New Zealand Winegrowers and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to deliver insights into current and future workforce skills requirements.
The research explored data around the roles and skills that make up the wine industry, from vineyard to market. By gathering data through a national industry survey and analysing job advertisements over the past decade from Lightcast, the research provided valuable insights into the current and future workforce needs. Almost 200 businesses participated in the survey, highlighting the industry's commitment to understanding and addressing its labour market challenges.
Understanding the diverse roles and skills in the wine industry is essential for recruitment and targeted training
Wine industry job roles were categorised into various job clusters and families. Job clusters group occupations based on shared skills, facilitating career mobility and adaptability. Each cluster has its own unique set of core and technical skills, underscoring the need for targeted training and development programmes.
Job families, on the other hand, group occupations based on similar work, training, and qualifications together. This classification helps in understanding the various roles within the industry and the specific skill sets they require, facilitating targeted career development and recruitment strategies.
Core and technical skills in the wine industry enable career development
The data analysis reveals that core skills such as communication, teamwork, and leadership are highly valued across all job families. These foundational skills are essential for effective teamwork, clear instructions, and successful stakeholder relationships. In addition to core skills, there is a significant demand for technical skills such as forklift operation, machinery operation, viticulture practices, and winemaking techniques. These skills are crucial for the efficient operation of vineyards and wineries, ensuring the production of high-quality wine.
The report highlighted that wine industry roles have skills that are complementary and would support development in multiple career pathways, providing opportunities for people to remain in the wine industry.
Survey responses highlighted areas for development, including:
- Clarifying job descriptions, such as through using common language to describe skills
- Using skills to help businesses understand how individuals could develop and move between roles, enabling businesses to better utilise their workforce
- Linking technical skills to a specific job family, to assist with group training and recruitment.
Addressing workforce needs helps the wine industry navigate challenges and seize opportunities
The research also explored potential opportunities and risks facing the wine industry in the coming years. Opportunities include the growing emphasis on upskilling staff, embracing automation and technology, and increasing commitment to sustainability. Conversely, risks were identified in the form of challenges related to housing affordability for workers, which could impact recruitment efforts and contribute to higher turnover rates.
By understanding and addressing the current and future workforce needs, the industry can better navigate the challenges and leverage emerging opportunities. Continuous adaptation and investment in human capital are essential for the industry's success and sustainability.
Together, the survey and the job analysis deliver a national ‘snapshot’ of job clusters and job families, outline demand for specific skills across the clusters and families, and identify potential future opportunities and risks facing the industry
For more detailed insights, you can access the full report here.
The dashboard is an interactive tool to demonstrate the expected growth in skills and roles to 2030, based on analysis of wine and viticulture job advertisements in New Zealand and Australia over the past 10 years.
Visit the dashboard here.