The WSET report record breaking candidate numbers during the Trust’s 50th anniversary year
The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), which is currently celebrating 50 years at the forefront of hospitality trade education, has seen annual candidate numbers break the 100,000 mark for the first time. During the 2018-19 academic year total of 108,557 candidates took a WSET qualification, representing a 15% increase over the previous year, reinforcing a general trend towards training and professionalism within the global hospitality industry.
WSET’s top three markets during 2018-19 were the UK, Mainland China and USA. Each of these territories saw growth for the 11th consecutive year, with the number of UK-based candidates increasing by +5% to 20,448. Outside the top three markets, India made it into the WSET’s top 20 markets for the first time with +50% growth, and all of the European wine producing countries also showed notable expansion.
WSET Chief Executive Ian Harris, comments: “It’s fantastic that we are able to report our best ever candidate figures in our 50th year. The growing demand for WSET’s wine, spirits and sake qualifications worldwide demonstrates the importance of setting global standards in wine, spirits and sake education… Looking forward to the new academic year, we are rolling out our new and enhanced qualifications this month. The first courses for our new Level 3 Award in Spirits take place in Chicago on 26th August and in London on 21st October. In addition, our revised Level 2 Award in Wines and new flagship Level 4 Diploma in Wines also became available to students from 1 August 2019. We are also excited about the launch of our first global Wine Education Week which takes place 9-15 September. Over the course of the week, over 500 events are taking place in 47 countries – giving consumers around the world the opportunity to learn more about wine.”
To learn more about WSET’s qualifications or to find a local Approved Programme Provider, visit WSETglobal.com.
To find out more about Wine Education Week (9th-15th September 2019), visit the Wine Education Week website.