The South African Wine Industry Professional Body (SAWIPB), founded in 2023, hosted its first Affiliate breakfast, providing a valuable opportunity for those service providers offering training for the wine industry to connect. wine.co.za's DTC Academy is also registered with SAWIPB and been offering training for front of house tasting room staff, helping to uplift and upskill, helping wineries to provide better guest experiences and extending the connection with the guest after they have left the venue, to assist with long-term profitability. I was delighted to meet providers across the country, and connected with Achieve Through Action, AgriJob, Boland Agricultural High School, FairTade Africa, Food for Mzansi, ILearn, Spier, Wine Training SA, Winelab, Wine Classroom, and more.. It was really valuable to see the extent of the network already created by SAWIPB and look forward to working alongside and collaborating where possible to ensure our wine industry offers the best education to its community and provides the best service to our customers. SA Wine provides access to its Learner Management System (LMS), where individuals working in the wine industry can register, access learning opportunities and plan and track their professional development journey. By becoming a SAWIPB member, you unlock additional functionality, benefits and opportunities to develop your professional profile, gain recognition for your skills and experience, access CPD opportunities and advance your career within the wine industry. If you are not yet registered, please connect with Kachne Ross kachne@sawine.co.za to find out more.