Angola Scholarships: building wine knowledge and opportunity

Angola has faced significant challenges over the years, including an economic crisis in 2014 and a 27-year civil war that lasted until 2002. Despite these hardships, tourism is now on the rise, and there is a high demand for skilled professionals in the hospitality and wine trade sectors. However, many Angolan people cannot afford education. 

The programme

This programme, a collaboration between Sogrape Wine Academy, the Gérard Basset Foundation (GBF), and WSET, addressed these challenges by providing training for the development and career progression of local professionals. 

A group of students studying in Angola

Building confidence and knowledge through structured wine education

A quote from Filipe Gonçalves, Executive Board Member, Sogrape

Filipe Gonçalves, Executive Board Member, Sogrape

Objectives

By providing the WSET Level 1 Award in Wines course, the project aimed to:

  • Equip participants with essential wine knowledge and skills for career development
  • Provide a learning pathway that builds knowledge, confidence, and support
  • Offer a globally recognised qualification that is recognised by employers and professionals
  • Enable greater access to education in Angola and neighbouring countries in sub-Saharan Africa by establishing Sogrape Wine Academy as a WSET course provider

Project details

A three-day training programme was held in Luanda, the commercial and political capital of Angola, with 15 scholarship holders from the hospitality and tourism sector participating.

The programme included:

  • Two days of preparatory courses by the Sogrape Wine Academy to help participants become familiar with the teaching and learning environment
  • One day dedicated to the WSET Level 1 Award in Wines course, conducted in Portuguese

Smiling student comparing two glasses of red wine

 Celebrating success at the WSET Level 1 Award in Wines course in Luanda.

A group of recent graduates in Angola

WSET Level 1 Award in Wines graduates celebrate Angola’s first certified wine training

Outcomes & impact

  • 14 participants were successfully certified, with two achieving a score of 97% 
  • This initiative marked a historic moment as the first WSET-certified wine training in Angola 
  • The success of this project led to plans for additional Level 1 courses, which will be followed by Level 2 courses for previous participants 
  • Opportunities to expand to other cities in Angola and to Namibia 
Man smells glass of red wine

Tasting techniques in action as students explore the world of wine

wset text book in classroom

WSET course materials were delivered in Portuguese, Angola’s official language