The UK-based Gérard Basset Foundation is delighted to announce a bursary scheme for historically-disadvantaged students to complete the prestigious WSET Level 3 in Wines qualification. Working with Africa’s largest provider of WSET courses, the International Wine Education Centre (IWEC), the Foundation will sponsor a WSET Level 3 course for the bursary students which will start in September in Stellenbosch. Applications are now open for students who meet the entrance criteria and who are interested in this life-changing opportunity.
The Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) is the world’s leading provider of drinks qualifications and the WSET Level 3 in Wines is aimed at senior management level, suitable for people in a range of wine and hospitality industry roles.
The Gérard Basset Foundation WSET Level 3 bursaries come on the back of the two awards made to Nomonde Kubheka and Tinashe Musora earlier this year. The Foundation’s grant of R105,000 to each of them has allowed them to enrol on the flagship WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines course and it is hoped that some of the recipients of the Level 3 bursaries will apply for similar support in future years.
Romané Basset from the Gérard Basset Foundation says: “One of our goals at The Gérard Basset Foundation is to deliver grants to carefully selected partners who serve economically disadvantaged and under-supported communities by delivering education, training and career enhancing programmes. Cathy is absolutely amazing at what she does to support both continued education and career development in South Africa. As we are the world’s leading charitable Foundation dedicated to using the wine, spirits and hospitality industry as a vehicle for change in order to improve livelihoods, we are very proud to support Cathy and the work of the IWEC. “
“From the IWEC’s side, we are thrilled to facilitate such an incredible opportunity for these students,” says Cathy Marston DipWSET, owner of the IWEC.
“Although South African wine has made great strides in improving diversity and inclusion in recent years, we still feel more needs to be done, particularly at a senior level. We hope that by helping students gain this advanced wine qualification, we will contribute to creating a pool of highly-skilled individuals who can effect real change in their workplace, both for themselves and all those around them.”
The Bursary WSET Level 3 in Wine course will run once a week throughout September and the early part of October, followed by revision workshops and ultimately a tasting and theory exam. Students who meet the criteria, including having passed WSET Level 2 in Wines with either a Distinction or a Merit, are encouraged to apply. Applications will close on 31 July and the recipients will be announced on 16 August.
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