The South African wine and brandy industry can now capture and track all information on training and development in one convenient place, with the launch of the online Learner Management System (LMS).

“Wine producers and cellars have trained their employees for many years, but have not been able to measure the impact of growth and the value they add to the industry. As a result, they were also unable to maximise their return on investment,” says Kachné Ross, learning and development manager at Winetech, the business unit for research and technology transfer driving the LMS.

Because training has never been captured in one central place, the full extent of learning and development in the wine industry is unknown. Some learners who received training also did not have access to proof of their qualifications or service record.

With these challenges in mind, the wine and brandy industry developed the internet-based LMS. The database enables training service providers to advertise their services and upload learners’ information and proof of qualification as they complete training. As soon as a service provider has uploaded a learner’s details for the first time, he or she can log into the system to view their own online Curriculum Vitae and download qualification documentation.

Wine producers and cellars can use the LMS to seek training service providers and identify opportunities for learning and development in their businesses, from farm worker to management level. The system also enables wine and brandy industry organisations to identify trends and strategically plan for training and development in regions or for specific groups where gaps are detected.

The LMS forms part of a comprehensive learning and development strategy as a product of the Wine Industry Strategic Exercise (WISE). The project was made possible through close collaboration between and funding by the industry bodies VinPro, the SA Liquor Brandowners’ Association (Salba) and Winetech, and is managed by the new Learning and Development Desk at Winetech.

According to Kachné, the LMS will have a significant effect on industry’s approach towards training. “The wine and brandy industry strives towards being an employer of choice for talented individuals. We urge every role player in the industry to take part in this initiative to take talent development to the next level,” she says.

Visit the LMS at www.sawineandbrandylms.info.

ENQUIRIES:
Jamey Adriaanse
Tel: 021 276 0456
E-mail: lms@winetech.co.za