NMIT Marlborough at the centre of winemaking and viticulture in New Zealand

You’ll find the on-site research vineyard, two laboratories, a technology transfer theatre, wine sensory room, and micro-vinification unit, humming with students getting practical, hands-on experience.

NMIT shares the campus with the state-of-the-art Bragato Research Institute (BRI), Marlborough Research Centre (MRC), Wine Marlborough and Plant and Food Research, making it a hub of research and innovation.

NMIT, BRI and MRC recently signed an agreement that will see more collaboration between students, tutors, and leading scientists on education and research.

“That’s a huge advantage for our students because it means they can work directly with BRI at the forefront of innovation,” says NMIT Primary Industries curriculum manager Pam Wood.

“Moving forward, our students will be making wine in the new sustainable BRI winery.”

MRC chief executive Gerald Hope says the agreement is a step towards developing the NMIT Marlborough campus as a national centre for winemaking and viticulture.

Marlborough is also the heart of wine country in New Zealand, which puts NMIT students at the centre of the industry.

With more than 168 wine producers and 568 independent growers in the region, students get plenty of opportunities to gain work experience and employment.

“One of the great things about NMIT is the fact that we work very closely with local industry,” says NMIT Winemaking and Viticulture tutor Ngarita Warden.

“The larger wine companies email us regularly to see what our students are up to and actively want to employ them.”

But the best thing about studying winemaking at NMIT is the quality and variety of the programmes that prepare graduates to be work and world ready.

From the Introduction to the World of Wine short course for learners who want to gain a deeper understanding of wine to the Bachelor of Viticulture and Winemaking for those who want to have a career in the industry, there’s something for everyone.

NMIT has launched two new Cellar Operations programmes in partnership with Wine Marlborough and local industry.

The Level 3 programme takes just 19 weeks to complete and comes with the opportunity for a paid work placement during the next harvest.

It provides students with a fast-track to employment while supporting local industry, which is facing a potential labour shortage as a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions.

The Cellar Operations programmes are eligible for fees free study under the government’s new Targeted Training and Apprenticeships Fund.

NMIT is also expanding the wine and viticulture programmes available to secondary school students in Marlborough.

The School of Wine, started at Marlborough Boys’ College in 2018, has opened up to other secondary schools, and NMIT is delivering a new Winemaking and Viticulture course via the Top of the South Trades Academy.

The facilities, programmes, industry connections and opportunities to collaborate on cutting-edge research make NMIT the best place to study winemaking and viticulture in New Zealand.`