Company Profile

What training does the WSPC provide ?

On a global basis the training model provided - the Horizontal Learning across all Levels of Wine & Spirits Market - is geared to all disciplines of the market - wine-growers, wine producers , oenologists, Sommeliers, Bartenders, Wholesalers, Retailers, business Professionals within the trade as well as Individuals / Wine lovers. "Horizontal Learning" means that we do not provide our students our specialised expertise in the sense of obtaining a qualification and / or degree as an Oenologist , wine-grower etc. Our students acquire a broad and deep knowledge over all the subjects pertaining to the sector ( viticulture, oenology, wine-making, distillery, wine-tasting, marketing, legal aspects et al). This is called non-job specific education and resembles the methods and learning techniques used in the academic market for those studying at MBA studies level.

The WSPC Students , at the higher levels of studies - Advanced Certificate / Level 3 & Diploma / Level 4, acquire commercially relevant ability to analyse and evaluate the quality-price ratio and the ability to investigative and understand the market and its structure. This ability is important in all middle and senior management professionals such as Import Managers, Export Managers, Group Product Managers, Brand Managers, Sales Managers, F & B Managers, Winemakers and Chief Sommeliers.

One could say that the evaluation of a quality-price ratio in an everyday criteria for consumers as well. The Consumer with his/her knowledge and conclusions daily has an influence on the survival and fate of the products on the market. We consider it an honour that more and more consumers decide to acquire exactly the same knowledge as professionals, to share the same classrooms with the latter and take exactly the same exams. Knowledge also increases the perception of the senses! For whom are the WSPC curricula designed?

The WSPC programme -fully harmonized with the curricula of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust England - is geared to:

employees of all wine production stages
business executives seeking to be continuously  informed on  the latest developments in their field
business executives seeking to obtain impeccable and internationally recognised training that will provide unique potential of  advancement in their work and careers
companies seeking to upgrade the staff of their departments, as well as to upgrade their products and services
graduates and / or undergraduates of the Faculty of Food Technology & Nutrition - Department of Oenology and Beverage Technology, who, without needing  to travel abroad to continue their further training, can  instead choose to acquire the same knowledge and the same qualifications whilst staying in Greece and having the opportunity to work alongside their studies
young people over 18 years who want to enter the  wines and spirits market as their professional career option
consumers who want to better know wine and better appreciate its complexity.

In which languages are the courses taught in Greece?

At the first three levels of wine courses (Foundation, Intermediate & Advanced Certificate), and at the level of Spirits (Professional Certificate in Spirit), the students are taught in the Greek language or in English in certain classes. Only at the last level (WSET Diploma) is tuition in English. Can I continue my studies abroad and / or vice versa?

It is possible, if a student decides to change his location, for him/her to continue in whatever other authorized WSET England centre abroad. In this case, we transfer the student's attendance information (ie: student code number, passing grade etc.) to the corresponding Approve Program Provider (APP) abroad. Please note that the most important thing is for the student to speak the native language of the country where the Centre is located.

Of course, the opposite is also possible. A student planning to be repatriated can continue his/her studies following the previous Level of Studies which he/she has successfully graduated in another country. Are the WSET diplomas recognised?

The WSET diplomas are recognized by the English state, Internationally and also throughout the Greek market. Even from the earliest years of the Centre's operations, bright names and personalities in the field have honoured our classrooms. All companies within the wine and spirits industry have chosen to prepare their executives through the WSPC . The WSPC Studies Levels are considered as a criteria for evaluation of CVs by the relevant departments and / or managers of companies. Even Level 1 / WSET Foundation Certificate Graduates, will find it easier to work in the wine world, having in their hands a Diploma from our mother English training organization. What do the lessons consist of?

At all levels of study the Course is divided into 2,5-hour lessons and each lesson is divided into two parts: the theoretical and the practical-tasting part. For the teaching of the theoretical part of the course, students are provided with both the original English language WSET books as well as books translated into Greek.

The practical-tasting part of the course, is covered by a specific number of wines and labels in accordance with the syllabus indicated by the WSET for each particular level of studies.

Attendance and successful graduation of each level of study is completed through examinations which each student is required to attend and pass so as to be considered a graduate and to continue his/her studies to the next Level of Study.

Just as the Structure / Syllabus of the educational programmes are set by England, so are the examinations fully controlled by our parent organization, WSET Qualifications. About 4 days before the students sit the exams the Examinations Officer of each country receives the tests from England and the next working day after the exams, he sends them back to England for their evaluation.

Finally, the companies that finance the tuition of the candidates attending our Educational Programmes are informed of the results of their subordinate colleagues. What qualifications are required for registration?

No specific qualifications are required for registration of a prospective student, except that he/she should have completed 18 years of age. What level of Studies is it desirable/necessary to reach?

Professionals in the sector : For professional within the wine and spirits sector, it is considered necessary to study to at least Level 3 Studies (Advanced Certificate), thus acquiring a high level of knowledge of the Greek and international markets. Acquiring the leading WSET Diploma qualification could be considered essential for those Professionals who wish to acquire unique skills to help their personal and professional development or even their career in order to have the ability to display their knowledge in a manner suited to the competitive international wine and spirits market.

Individuals / Wine lovers : Individuals -Wine-lovers -simple consumers can comfortably attend up to WSPC Level 2 of studies (Intermediate Certificate), which on conclusion will have covered the knowledge of basic of world wines varieties as well as of the correct wine and food matching. of. in this way they will have acquired the adequate knowledge essential both in their social events (restaurant) as in their daily lives (home). They will feel more able to choose for themselves the "lables" from restaurant wine- lists and can easily navigate a cellar in search of a suitable wine to accompany their meal at home.

It is worth mentioning here that the all the individuals /Wine-lovers who have attended Level 3 of studies (WSET Advanced Certificate) have almost always graduated successfully. They then consider quite seriously the possibility of continuing their studies to WSET Diploma level, in spite of the fact that it is considered, internationally as one of the hardest Diplomas in the world. Those individuals/Wine-lovers up to Diploma are worthy of praise and respect.

Also noteworthy is the fact individuals /wine-lovers taking exam usually score higher than do the professionals. The is evidence of their need - both emotional and real - to learn as much as they can about wine and spirits, and to satisfy their continuous thirst of knowledge about them. How often do courses start in Athens and other cities?

Click here to see the curriculum

What is the length of the course in Athens and other cities?

ATHENS

At all levels of Studies in Athens Courses take place once a week.

Level 1 -Athens lasts 5 weeks (including examinations)

Level 2 -Athens lasts 11 weeks (including examinations)

Level 3 - Athens lasts 17 weeks (including examinations) and takes place once or two times a year at the beginning of September and February in each new academic year

The Level of Spirits lasts 11 weeks (including examinations) and takes place about twice in each academic year (September and January).

The Diploma, the 4th and final Level of Studies lasts two academic years with new sections starting every two years.

At each Level Studies - except Diploma, there are two sessions:

The lunch-time Session, from 15:00 to 17:30 aimed at those working within the catering industry and

-the evening Session from 19:00 to 21:30, aimed at professionals with office working hours

Within the same academic year Level 1 & 2 are repeated about three times (September, January, April or May depending on the dates of Easter).

OTHER GREEK CITIES

All Levels Studies carried out in other Greek cities except Athens, are always conducted in intensive form. The creation of a single department with teaching hours of 14:30 to 19:30 to incorporate the working hours of both professionals from the catering and those from other areas was deemed necessary.

Intensive Level 1 is completed within two consecutive days. For the exams a minimum of one week's break is needed in order for students to have time to study. Therefore, exams usually take place about one or two weeks after the tuition and last around three hours.

Intensive Level 2 , and Intensive level of Spirits are both completed within 5 days. For the convenience of students , the five days are divided into two weeks. During the first week, students are taught part of the material within 2 five-hour sessions (2 days x 5 hours tuition a day), and the second week, students are taught part of the material within 3 five- hours sessions (3 days x 5 hours tuition a day ) or vice versa.

Intensive Level 3 is completed in 9 days (exam included). In each case, the tuition timetable depends on the town where the course takes place according to its geographical position and how easy/hard it is to access.

The Diploma lasts two academic years and is taught only at the headquarters of the Greek Centre in Athens. For graduates of other regional towns who want to avoid frequent journeys to Athens to attend the Diploma there will be e-learning course ie: online learning system with an on-line connection with the current Course in Athens.