Salary Spotlight - Winemaker

Starting out most winemakers in Australia have a bachelor degree or higher qualification or at least five years relevant experience.

In some roles, experience and formal qualifications are required.

Tasks include liaising with vineyard personnel, examining grape samples to assess ripeness, sugar and acid content, co-ordinating winemaking processes and blending wines according to various formulas.

The Federal Government says winemakers earn an average of $900 a week, or about $46,800 a year. Sixty-seven per cent of the workforce work full-time.

There are 1900 winemakers working in Australia.

The average age is 43 and 63 per cent of employees are female.

Job prospects for winemakers are good. The current vacancy level for winemakers is very high.

Employment opportunities rose strongly in the past five years and growth is expected to continue at a slower rate for the next five years.

Vacancies arising from job changing are expected to provide 51 per cent of vacancies, compared with 44 per cent from job openings and 5 per cent from new jobs.

Published: 23 August 2008