Jobs at WSET

WSET was founded as charitable trust in 1969 to serve the growing educational needs of the UK wine and spirits industry which, at the time, primarily spanned import, distribution and retail. Funding was provided by The Vintners’ Company and WSET took over the education initiatives started by the Wine and Spirit Association of Great Britain.

Our founders represented the cornerstones of the UK wine and spirits trade, and representatives from each of these organisations continue to serve on our Board of Trustees.

In 1969 WSET provided three qualifications for individuals working in the trade all delivered from our base in London:

Certificate in Wines, Spirits and Other Alcoholic Beverages
Higher Certificate in Wines and Spirits
Diploma in Wines and Spirits

Going Global

As recognition grew for WSET qualifications we realised there was a demand beyond the UK for quality education in wines and spirits. In 1977 WSET expanded access to qualifications abroad, by launching courses in the Republic of Ireland. And in the same year we launched WSET qualifications across the Atlantic, with the International Wine Education Guild (IWEG) in Ontario, Canada, becoming the first North American provider of WSET qualifications.

By the end of the 1990’s WSET qualifications were available in the UK, Europe, the USA, the Middle East and Asia. In 2007 international students taking WSET exams outnumbered UK students for the first time.

In 2016 we opened our first international office in Hong Kong to serve our growing Asia markets. In 2017 we appointed a dedicated on-territory USA team, with permanent offices opening in Hartford, Connecticut in 2019.

Today WSET qualifications are available in over 70 countries in 15 languages, through a network of 900+ course providers, and students outside the UK represent over 75% of WSET candidates each year.

WSET – An awarding organisation

WSET is an awarding organisation (exam board). We are responsible for the creation, processing and quality assurance of WSET qualifications. The qualifications are delivered to candidates through our global network of Approved Programme Providers (APPs). As the awarding organisation, WSET is responsible for ensuring that APPs deliver our qualifications according to our standards and requirements.

WSET Jobs

WSET also offers a jobs board, advertising jobs from across the wine and spirits industry.

Governance and Quality Management

WSET is recognised as an awarding organisation by Ofqual, the English regulator for qualifications and exams. It also operates a certified quality management system that complies with ISO 9001.

The WSET Supervisory Board (ASB) is a committee of the Board of Trustees that oversees the activity of WSET as an awarding organisation to ensure:

the continued integrity of WSET qualifications
that WSET continually reflects best practice in all aspects of its operations, meeting regulatory criteria.

Six WSET teams deliver these core functions:

The Quality Assurance team is responsible for managing our APP approval process and for quality assurance and compliance, supporting our APPs to ensure best practice in their delivery of WSET qualifications.
The Educator Training Programme team is responsible for the design and delivery of WSET’s Educator Training Programme (ETP). In practical terms, ETPs form the training component of WSET’s Quality Assurance system for APPs. Each APP must have an ETP trained educator who takes responsibility for ensuring that their APP meets the teaching standards required by WSET.
The Qualifications team is responsible for setting WSET exams. They design WSET’s qualification specifications and decide the assessment format and content at all levels. The team also marks, verifies and moderates WSET assessments.
The Product Development team is responsible for creating and developing all WSET teaching materials, such as session plans, textbooks, and the Systematic Approach to Tasting (SAT). Also works with the Qualifications team on the content of the qualification specifications.
The Translation team is responsible for translating all supporting learning materials (such as session plans, textbooks, and SATs). The team also supports the Qualifications team in the translation of all examination scripts and with the Product Development team to ensure clarity and consistency in all WSET teaching materials.
The Exams team is responsible for processing exam orders, issuing results, and dispatching our exams and certificates to APPs around the world.

If you would like any further information, please complete the contact form.

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