York area vineyards take on apprentices as industry grows with skills shortages

Apprentice Guy Rendall with Goose Beck wine maker Antonia Chasney during the 2026 harvest earlier this month. (Image: Darren Greenwood)

North Yorkshire’s growing wine industry is creating new career opportunities through hands-on training.

Vineyards in the region are welcoming apprentices to support expansion and address a shortage of skilled workers, with Askham Bryan College near York now offering a Crop Technician course with a focus on vineyards and viticulture.

Paul Chasney, director and co-founder of the Goose Beck Vineyard in Bilton-in-Ainsty, said: "Goose Beck has grown in size and number of vines over the last few years.

"It has become obvious that we are in need of more assistance in the vineyard.

Apprentice Guy Rendall has joined the Goose Beck Vineyard at Bilton-in-Ainsty, west of York, as an apprentice. (Image: Darren Greenwood)

"Yorkshire is developing as a place to grow grapes and make high-quality artisan wines but it is difficult to find appropriately qualified staff in the North."

Goose Beck recently welcomed apprentice Guy Rendall, who is working towards a Level 3 qualification as a crop technician specialising in viticulture.

Mr Chasney said: "They will be working with us throughout the seasons on all aspects of viticulture including pruning, vine management through to harvesting."

"Guy is an apprentice enrolled under the Government apprenticeship scheme.

Eleanor and Tim Spakouskas (Image: Pic supplied)

"Under that scheme, Guy will be working with us full time but will attend college for periods of structured learning.

"We are pleased to have Guy join us and I am sure that he will make a positive contribution towards our business."

Guy said: "I've been interested in vineyards since I was a kid when my family went on holidays to France.

Eleanor Spakouskas as a child (Image: Pic supplied)

"I have always been interested in the lifestyle and ability to create a product which can be enjoyed by everyone."

He praised the support from Askham Bryan College.

Guy said: "I find the training to be really useful and the staff have been very helpfull and knowledgeable so far in the course.

"It has been really useful to find a college in the north willing to offer the apprenticeship as it has saved on having to look down south and I can now stay in the north."

Yorkshire Heart Vineyard and Brewery in Nun Monkton has also taken on its third apprentice, Eleanor Spakouskas, who has started the same course at Askham Bryan.

She follows in the footsteps of her brother Henry, who undertook his apprenticeship at Plumpton College, Brighton.

Yorkshire Heart winemaker Henry Spakouskas, with grandmother Gillian Spakousas, who co-founded the vineyard with his grandad Chris, with his father Tim Spakouskas, planting vines in 2025. (Image: Pic supplied)

Her father Tim Spakouskas, the company's managing director, said: "We take on apprentices to give young people a chance to work and learn in a small but growing sector.

"To have apprentices learning the skills needed to drive the vineyard forward for years to come is essential.

"The training on offer is great and vital to the future of our vineyard and vineyards all over the UK."

Eleanor said: "I have grown up in the vineyard, every harvest, planting and other work since I was born, I have been there.

"I have seen the vineyard grow from being a 4-acre site to being the 17.5 acre site it is now."

She also welcomed the launch of the new course.

Eleanor said: "It is great that Askham Bryan are running this course, viticulture is currently the fastest growing agricultural sector in the UK.

"The more training and knowledge we can get all over the country will only help to improve the quality of the wines we are producing."