Presentation of the New Intake for the “Winemaker-Technician” Vocational Retraining Program Held at CIU

On October 6, the launch event for the “Winemaker-Technician” vocational retraining program—offered by the Vocational Education Center—was held at the Faculty of Viticulture and Winemaking, Caucasus International University (CIU).

The CIU Vocational Education Center (directed by Tea Osepashvili) was established at the university in January 2023 with the aim of fostering future educational development and integrating into the vocational education system. A key initial step in this process was securing the right to implement this certificate program for a three-year term; this was granted on August 8, 2024, by the Council for Granting the Right to Implement Vocational Training/Retraining Programs at the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement—an authorization that also includes the right to issue state-recognized certificates.

To date, the Center has conducted seven training courses for the 2024–2026 period, and eight programs are currently underway. On October 6, instruction began for the fourth cohort of the “Winemaker-Technician” program, funded by the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia and the State Employment Promotion Agency.

Ten trainees have enrolled in the “Winemaker-Technician” vocational retraining program. The duration of the program is ten weeks. It is scheduled to take place at both the university Viticulture and Winemaking building and the Okami production facility in the village of Aghaiani, Kaspi Municipality.

The opening ceremony was attended by the program participants, the individuals responsible for its implementation, representatives from the Faculty of Viticulture and Winemaking and the production facility, as well as the center director.