Are you passionate about wine and ready to turn that passion into your own business? With BEES, in collaboration with Assosommelier, you can take a free training course and earn a first-level sommelier certificate — a concrete first step into the world of wine and into offering your own consultancy.
What’s included?
- 8 in-person sessions (at Via Roma 94, Palermo) and 4 online sessions, between July and September
- Practical support from entrepreneurship experts to develop your business idea
- The creation of a community of women to share experiences, visions and inspiration with
The programme
Training (July)
- Thursday 2 July │ 3:00–5:00 PM (2h) Getting to know each other! [online]
- Monday 6 July │ 3:00–6:00 PM (3h) Entrepreneurship [online]*
- Wednesday 8 July │ 3:00–6:00 PM (3h) History of viticulture │ The vineyard [in person]
- Thursday 9 July │ 3:00–5:00 PM (2h) The winery [in person]
- Saturday 11 July │ 10:00 AM–12:00 PM (2h) Winery visit [in person]
- Monday 13 July │ 3:00–5:00 PM (2h) Visual and olfactory analysis [in person]
- Thursday 16 July │ 3:00–6:00 PM (3h) Taste analysis │ Sparkling wines (Part 1) [in person]
- Monday 20 July │ 3:00–6:00 PM (3h) Business plan [online]*
- Wednesday 22 July │ 3:00–6:00 PM (3h) Sparkling wines (Part 2) │ Fortified sweet wines [in person]
- Thursday 23 July │ 3:00–6:00 PM (3h) Functions of the sommelier │ The quality pyramid
- Monday 27 July │ 3:00–6:00 PM (3h) Business plan │ The pitch [online]*
- Wednesday 29 July │ 3:00–5:00 PM (2h) International grape varieties
*Dates to be confirmed
Residential training weekend
4, 5 and 6 September – Trappeto (Borgo Danilo Dolci) A residential training experience in a rural setting, with focused training to start a concrete entrepreneurial career and daily exchange with the other participants. Presentation of the projects developed, and sharing of opportunities to inspire other young women in local communities.
Covered costs
Educational materials (including a wine glass carrying case), food and accommodation during the residential weekend, and annual Assosommelier membership. Any travel costs to reach the course venues are the participants’ responsibility.
Essential requirements
- Women aged between 18 and 29
- Residence or domicile in small and medium-sized towns in Sicily
- Commitment to attend at least 80% of the activities
How to apply
Send an email to giorgia.marinelli@cesie.org with:
- your CV,
- a copy of your ID card,
- the application form completed and signed in all its sections (available in italian),
- and any documents certifying unemployment, lack of employment or inactivity status, and domicile in rural areas of Sicily.
Important
To receive the certificate, you must attend at least 80% of the scheduled hours. The first-level sommelier certificate will be awarded during the residential weekend, from 4 to 6 September (3 days, 2 nights).
What comes next? The certificate can be used in the job market straight away. Those interested can also apply to the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme, for which CESIE ETS acts as a sending organisation.
Applications close on 29 June 2026. For more information, write to giorgia.marinelli@cesie.org.
About Beautiful BEES
Beautiful BEES is a co-funded Europen Social Fund ESF+ project.
Partners
- EOI – Fundación Escuela de Organización Industrial FSP (Spain, coordinator)
- CESIE ETS (Italy)
- Cámara Oficial de Comercio, Industria, Servizos e Navigación de Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
- ESI – Europos socialinis verslumo ir inovatyvių studijų institutas (Lithuania)
For further information
Read more about the project.
Contact Giorgia Marinelli: giorgia.marinelli@cesie.org.
