Skills and Talent, the Challenge Facing the Wine Industry

The second edition of the Wine Business Program kicks off 

In Made in Italy sectors, up to 900,000 new hires are expected by 2029, yet in the agri-food industry nearly 4 in 10 positions are difficult to fill. The initiative, promoted by Consorzio Italia del Vino and Luiss Business School, brings education and business closer together to address the mismatch between the supply of and demand for skills in the industry 

ROME, Sept. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2026 Wine Business Program is now underway. Promoted by Consorzio Italia del Vino in partnership with Luiss Business School, the program is designed to prepare the next generation of professionals for the wine industry. It is aimed primarily at students nearing graduation and recent graduates interested in pursuing a career in the sector, through a model that combines academic preparation, industry knowledge, and hands-on experience within companies.

The 2026 edition includes a training period at Villa Blanc, Luiss Business School's Rome campus, from September through November for 16 selected participants. The program will cover key areas of business – from marketing and communications to export, financial management, and strategy – as well as the trends reshaping the industry, including digitalization, artificial intelligence, and sustainability.

The project comes at a time when the mismatch between labor demand and available skills represents one of the main challenges facing Italian companies, particularly in Made in Italy sectors. In the coming years, these industries will need both to attract new talent and to identify professionals equipped to navigate rapidly changing markets and business models.

According to the Excelsior Information System of Unioncamere and the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, between 2026 and 2029 Made in Italy supply chains could require more than 900,000 workers, accounting for roughly one-third of total projected demand. The challenge is particularly evident in the agri-food industry, where, in 2025, nearly 4 in 10 planned hires – 38.6% – were difficult to fill. By June 2026, that share had risen further to 42%, with 190,000 planned hires (30% of the total) intended for young people under 30. The Wine Business Program is designed to address this gap between the demand for new professional skills and entry into the workforce, helping bridge the divide between the skills acquired through education and those currently required by the industry.

A distinguishing feature of the Wine Business Program is the direct involvement of participating companies from the program-design stage onward. Company professionals will contribute to classroom instruction by sharing their experience, and participating companies will host student internships. After completing the training period, participants will undertake a four-month internship with consortium member and partner companies, during which they will develop a Project Work to be presented and evaluated at the program's final session, scheduled for April 2027.

"Attracting young talent is a strategic challenge for our industry, but today simply drawing young people to the sector is not enough: we need to create the conditions for them to enter it with the right skills and a practical understanding of how companies operate," said Roberta Corrà, President of Consorzio Italia del Vino. "Professional profiles are evolving alongside the market. Product expertise must now be complemented by managerial, commercial, and digital skills, knowledge of international markets, an understanding of sustainability, and the ability to use new technologies. The Wine Business Academy was created precisely to build this bridge between talent and companies."

"With the second edition of the Wine Business Program, we reaffirm our commitment to developing the future managers of the wine industry: professionals capable of combining solid management skills – from marketing and finance to internationalization and sustainability – with an in-depth understanding of the dynamics of a sector that is strategic to Made in Italy and is currently undergoing profound transformation," said Raffaele Oriani, Dean of Luiss Business School. "The program was created and continues to evolve through ongoing dialogue with companies in the sector, because we believe the most effective education begins with listening to business needs and designing programs that can meaningfully reduce the gap between the skills demanded by the market and those currently provided through education and training. With this new edition, we aim to strengthen this model of dialogue with companies and further expand its impact, supporting the evolution of the professional profiles that will shape the future of the industry."

The Wine Business Program 2026 is part of Consorzio Italia del Vino's Wine Business Academy project. Gate 39 and Veronafiere serve as supporting partners, Wine Enthusiast as key media partner, and Colangelo & Partners as key PR partner.

Consorzio Italia del Vino 

The Consortium brings together 24 prestigious leading companies in the Italian wine industry, with combined revenues exceeding €1.5 billion and exports accounting for approximately 15% of Italy's total wine exports. Since 2009, it has worked in international markets to increase awareness and appreciation of Italian wine and wine culture, expand its presence worldwide, and promote broader awareness of the Italian lifestyle. The 24 member companies operate across

17 Italian wine regions, with a combined 15,000 hectares under vine and a direct workforce of more than 3,500 people. They are: Angelini Wines & Estates, Banfi, Bisol1542, Cà Maiol, Cantina Mesa, Cantine Lunae Bosoni, Collis Heritage, Di Majo Norante, Diesel Farm, Donnachiara, Drei Donà, Duca di Salaparuta, Ferrari, Gruppo Italiano Vini, Gruppo Mezzacorona, Herita Marzotto Wine Estates, Le Monde, Librandi Antonio e Nicodemo, Marchesi di Barolo, Medici Ermete & Figli, Oniwines, Terre de La Custodia, Torrevento, and Zonin1821.

Luiss Business School 

Founded in 1987 as Luiss University's School of Management, it adopted the Luiss Business School name in 2006 and, since 2017, has been based at Villa Blanc in Rome. In Italy, it has established a leading position in higher education, with a focus on developing managerial skills. Thanks to its international accreditations – AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA – it ranks among the world's elite business schools and, through its multi-hub model, pursues a strategy designed to enrich the learning experience through programs delivered at multiple locations, both in Italy (Rome, Milan, and Belluno) and abroad (Amsterdam and Dubai).

The Faculty is one of Luiss Business School's distinctive strengths, thanks to its ability to implement the School's educational model, strengthen ties with the business community, and increase its international reach. Its educational portfolio includes MBA programs, Master's programs, Executive Programmes, Custom Programs and Consulting, and Digital Programmes.

Media Contact: Lauryn Russell, [email protected] 

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SOURCE Consorzio Italia del Vino