Closing the Skills Gap in Italy’s Wine Industry

With nearly 42% of agri-food positions proving difficult to fill, the second Wine Business Program has launched in Rome. A partnership between Consorzio Italia del Vino and Luiss Business School, the initiative aims to bridge the widening divide between academic preparation and the evolving technical demands of the global wine market.

Corp and Tech·September 18, 2026·reads: 1,109

The 2026 edition, currently underway at the Villa Blanc campus, hosts 16 participants for a curriculum focused on financial management, international strategy, and the integration of artificial intelligence into traditional viticulture. This intensive training period runs through November, acting as a direct response to a labor crisis affecting the broader Made in Italy sector. According to data from the Excelsior Information System, these supply chains anticipate a requirement for 900,000 new workers by 2029, yet the industry struggles to secure talent equipped for modern, data-driven business models.

To ensure graduates are market-ready, the program incorporates a four-month internship phase with consortium member companies. Participants will develop project work for evaluation in April 2027, utilizing a feedback loop designed by industry leaders like Roberta Corrà and Luiss Dean Raffaele Oriani. By involving company professionals in the classroom, the curriculum aims to move beyond theoretical knowledge, emphasizing the managerial and sustainability skills essential for managing the 15,000 hectares represented by the 24 leading firms within the consortium.