Distilling scholarship programme launches

The Institute of Brewing & Distilling (IBD) has teamed up with the Worshipful Company of Distillers (WCD) to introduce a scholarship scheme for less advantaged students.

The new programme, managed by the IBD and financially backed by the WCD, offers five opportunities for UK-based candidates to receive funding for their distilling education.

These include one scholarship of £1,500 (US$2,060), which will allow a graduate of the IBD’s diploma in distilling course to continue their education; two bursaries for the diploma in distilling worth more than £5,000 (US$6,870) each; and two bursaries for the general certificate in distilling, worth more than £1,000 (US$1,370) each.

Jerry Avis, chief executive officer of the IBD, said: “At the core of this educational programme is our commitment to facilitate access to both world-leading interactive learning material and tutor-guided learning to those distillers who have the passion and ambition but not the resources to acquire the technical knowledge to progress in the industry.

“In a competitive market and in the midst of one of the biggest crises for many years, knowledge and expertise are key differentiators for success.”

The scheme will initially run for three years, with successful candidates gaining access to the IBD’s educational resources and receiving mentorship from WCD members.

Jonathan Driver, master of the WCD, added: “We are delighted to partner with the IBD in helping young people achieve their potential and attain future employment opportunities. By offering this powerful new mentoring programme, which is a very big part of our future strategy, we can tap into and share the rich source of skills and knowledge residing in the membership of our livery company.”

To learn more about the scholarship and bursaries, visit ibd.org.uk.