New Zealand Certificate in Primary Industry Skills - Cellar Operations

Summary

Curious about working in a winery? Start with a practical introduction to cellar operations and discover what working in the wine industry is really like.

You don’t need previous winery experience to get started. With support from NMIT tutors, you’ll build essential workplace skills, learn the basics of winery operations and gain hands-on experience in a real workplace.

This programme may suit you if you’re interested in the wine industry and want a practical first step towards cellar operations work, or further study.

What you'll learn

Working safely and confidently is an important part of winery work. You’ll develop practical skills and knowledge for entry-level roles in the wine industry, including:

• Workplace health and safety
• First aid certification
• Communication and teamwork
• Entry-level winery processes and operations

Taught over 12 weeks, this programme combines learning at NMIT, field trips and workplace experience, so you can apply what you learn in practical settings.

On completion, you can pathway into the NZ Certificate in Cellar Operations (Level 3), then the Bachelor of Viticulture and Winemaking (Level 7).

Take a look at more wine study options

Where could this take me?

This programme can be a first step into the wine industry.

The skills and workplace experience you gain can help prepare you for entry-level cellar operations work. Winery roles may range from seasonal vintage work through to permanent positions.

If you decide you want to keep learning, you can continue your studies with the New Zealand Certificate in Cellar Operations (Level 3), with further study options available in viticulture and winemaking.

Learn in a real workplace

This is more than classroom learning. Workplace experience is built into the programme, giving you the opportunity to see how a winery operates and develop your skills in a real working environment.

After your initial learning at NMIT and field trips, you’ll spend time in the workplace alongside your on-campus study. Your tutors will continue to support you as you put your learning into practice.

Finding your work placement

There are 120 hours of workplace experience required within the programme.

You’ll need to arrange a suitable workplace where you can complete these hours. This is your responsibility, but you won’t be left to figure it out alone. NMIT can help you with the process of finding and arranging your placement.

Programme delivery

The 12-week programme begins with two weeks of on-campus classroom study and field trips.

For the remaining 10 weeks, you’ll spend four days each week gaining practical workplace experience and attend on-campus classes on Wednesdays.

Not sure about a career in wine?

If you’re curious about winery work but aren’t yet sure where it could take you, this programme gives you a practical introduction to the industry.

You’ll experience both learning and the workplace, helping you make a more informed decision about your next step.