Developing Future Drinks & Hospitality Industry Talent

Develop is The Drinks Trust’s skills and training programme, and is available to those facing financial hardship. It is intended to bring much-needed staff into our industry and upskill those who are already working within it.??

Since its launch in 2022, it has achieved beyond expectations, and in only two years we have delivered skills and opportunity to over 1500 people.?

How to Get Involved?

There are a variety of ways for companies to get involved with Develop.? ?

Donors to the Develop programme are existing Business Partners of the charity, but go further by providing funds intended specifically for Develop. These ‘Funding Partners’ of Develop fulfil important corporate social responsibility goals by contributing towards valuable services aimed at upskilling and future employability of industry staff.? ?

In addition to funding, companies can become ‘Operator Partners’ of the Develop programme, creating employment opportunities for the Develop students. Once qualified, The Drinks Trust refers suitable candidates to the operator for review, possible interview and potential employment. The operator is responsible for interviews, further screening, references, and other elements of their standard recruitment process during the recruitment process.?

Lastly, and equally vital to Develop’s success, we strongly encourage companies willing to support the next generation of the drinks and hospitality industry to design and host a workshop/behind-the-scenes/ training opportunity to be exclusively offered to Develop students and promoted via The Drinks Trust’s channels.??

The Future of Develop??

Our plan for 2024 is to build on Develop’s success in 2022 and 2023. We are doing this by continuing to offer students our comprehensive educational offerings (WSET across wine/spirits/sake, bartenders and mixology courses, our online library EdApp) and again this year we will be working with industry companies on bespoke new offerings, such as Funkin Cocktails Marketing Workshop, Hallgarten & Novum Wines WSET 2 inclusivity programme in Manchester, and many more.?

Our ambition in 2024 is to support 850 individuals through Develop, but this could have been double; that’s how much demand there is. To do that we need more funding, so we continue to seek businesses looking to make a big impact in the industry. Funding is vital, but so are resources and in-kind donations. If that sounds like the business you work for, please get in touch.??

The Drinks Trust and How it Helps the Industry?

We offer three key services, Develop is one of them. The other two are:

Assist is our grant-giving and advice service to those in financial hardship. This is open to people who have worked in the industry for three years or more and from the point of production, to the point of sale.?

Restore is our wellbeing service, a 24/7 helpline open to everyone in the industry requiring in-the-moment support with wellbeing, financial concerns and more. We also offer free counselling sessions, sleep and insomnia treatment and mindful drinking courses, all of which can be accessed through The Drinks Trust website.??

Three Tips for People Seeking Support to Upskill?

If you’re looking to upskill and would like some support, find out what the best qualifications and skills are for your chosen path in the sector, then start the process of getting qualified. Our sector is very much a passion industry, with a focus on product knowledge, which is different to many others. So whether you want to be a mixologist, bar manager, sommelier, or work in drinks logistics or any other industry field, there will be many routes open to you, but an industry qualification is a great place to start.?

Build a network of people who have experience in your ideal career path in general people are usually happy to share how they have built their careers and will have useful insights. This is easier for some than others - not all of us have access to the right people in the first place. There are more and more mentoring opportunities available from organisations across the industry. Also, joining online peer groups is a way to find people who can help you, such as regional bartender organisations and other industry groups online. We are lucky in this industry that we can attend countless tastings, trade shows, masterclasses or even online tastings, all of these are good places to meet the people who can help you. ?? ?

Finally, sign up for The Drinks Trust newsletter and follow our social channels to make sure you don’t miss out on the latest Develop opportunities.??

One message for drink companies and brands in 2024…?

In 2020, we asked the industry what more we should do as a charity. As a result, Restore and Develop were created. Since then, we have gone from supporting 1200 individuals annually to over 5500, so the businesses who advised us were right.?

We are now offering a far more holistic service. One that is improving mental and financial wellbeing, delivering much-needed skills and as a result, growing the industry. As an industry charity, we are primarily here for the people of our industry, but we also serve the industry as a whole.

This work is vital to all of us, and it requires the support and funding of the sector. In a time where more and more businesses are becoming aware of their responsibility to the workforce, we are here to help them deliver on their goals.?

Demand for our services is high, and every person we can support helps us all; your partnership is more valuable than ever.??

One message for drinks industry and hospitality community members…?

If you work in the drinks and hospitality industry or want to join it, we’d love you to get involved with our work.??

Stay connected by following us on social media (@drinks_trust), and if you’re in the position to do so, please either take part in any of our fundraising events or organise your own.?

The Drinks Trust and Kingsland Drinks - in partnership!??

Kingsland Drinks has been a longstanding, generous supporter of The Drinks Trust. In 2024, Kingsland is providing financial support to The Drinks Trust as a Business Partner and a funding partner on our Develop training programme. In addition, Kingland’s Drinks has worked with the charity for several years to broaden the scope and reach of our annual industry wellbeing survey.??

As a result of Kingsland’s communications expertise, we have amplified the survey’s message and encouraged more industry professionals to tell us about their circumstances and experiences within our sector.??

This has allowed the charity to access skills and resources from Kingsland Drinks and this is a perfect example of how businesses can work with their industry charity in creative ways. I would like to extend my gratitude to Kingsland and their communication team for their valued support.? ?

Call to action!??

If you’re interested in any of Develop’s educational opportunities, please explore the course website page HERE.??

Alternatively, consider signing up for The Drinks Trust’s newsletter (visit our website) and don’t forget to follow our social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok) at @drinks_trust.