South Australia and wine. An Aussie combination as iconic and traditional as… well, let’s be honest. Nothing goes together as well as South Australia and wine. The industry is vital to our economy, and SA is the biggest producer of wine in the country and the hub of all major wine production and export activities.

But to get into the industry, you’ve got to be born into a winemaking family, right? With the mandatory chambray shirt, moleskins and R.M. Williams…

Not true.

Wine, spirits and wine tourism are not only big business in SA, the sector is a major player across Australia and the world, with the industry expected to grow to $450 billion by 2024 and, according to Wine Australia, wine exports will be worth $2.87 billion in the year ending March 2020. The entire landscape is rapidly evolving, and the careers available in wine, spirits and the associated events and tourism opportunities are vibrant, varied and exciting.

You don’t have to be from the country. You don’t have to have family connections. You don’t even have to work in the country.  While the talent and skill of our grape growers and wine makers are world famous, what the industry needs now more than ever are business skills. Up-to-the-minute knowledge. Marketing skills. Financial acumen. Digital technology capabilities. Strategic planning and supply chain expertise.  An understanding of the global wine and spirits industries. Technological knowledge. The type of skills and knowledge you can only get from university study – but study built on practical industry know-how as well as academic expertise.

Its true wine businesses vary in size and we all know about small to medium size wineries.  A little more under the radar are the larger urban-based wine businesses.  Many of these are global businesses, with some having head offices in Australian capital cities.  Consider Australia’s top three wine companies: Treasury Wine Estates, Pernod Ricard Winemakers, and Accolade Wines.  Companies like these have jobs across the full spectrum of growing and supplying wine and spirits, but also sales, marketing, finance, import export and much more.

Flinders have recently launched the Bachelor of International Business (Wine, Spirits and Tourism). From the wineries of the Barossa to the breweries of the Adelaide Hills or the amazing distilleries popping up across the country, this is your chance to forge a career in an iconic and growing (no pun intended) industry.

Contact us

We offer appointments with our prospective student team to discuss career options, pathways, and course and entry requirements.

Flinders Bachelor of International Business (Wine, Spirits and Tourism) is designed for anyone wanting to explore the business of wine, spirits and tourism, or for those wanting to upskill and take the next steps in their careers. You will graduate career-ready with the course’s unique combination of business education and sector-specific skills.

Find out how you can join an iconic South Australian industry and take the first steps towards an exciting career.