About the Organization

Interns will be placed at one of the many dynamic, entrepreneurial Cape Town area wineries depending on winery need and availability and the applicant's suitability.

According to Wines of South Africa (http://www.wosa.co.za): "The Cape winegrowing areas, situated in the narrow viticultural zone of the southern hemisphere, mainly have a Mediterranean climate and the mountain slopes and valleys form the ideal habitat for the wine grape Vitis vinifera, the products of which have given pleasure to man for many centuries. Long, sun-drenched summers and mild, wet winters contribute to the ideal conditions for viticulture at the Cape... Liberated by the advent of democracy, the South African wine industry has gone from strength to strength, with exports growing by 335% between 1995 and 2007."

"The wine industry in South Africa is undergoing an exciting period of change, both in the vineyard and in the winery. Winemakers are experimenting with new varieties of vine, as well as new clones of existing varietals such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Large-scale experimentation with rootstocks is taking place to establish which planting material is particularly suited to conditions at the Cape, co-ordinated by the Vine Improvement Board.

As in other New World countries, viticulturists are hard at work matching vine varieties to soils and meso-climates in order to achieve the best results. Vineyard life in South Africa is similar to Europe's although South Africa's viticultural year begins in September. While preparations for the vintage are being made in Europe, the vines in South Africa are just beginning to bud.

January in the Cape heralds the beginning of summer and, as the temperatures increase, early grape varieties begin to ripen. The bulk of the harvest takes place in February and the sugar/acid ratio of the grapes is checked daily so that each variety is harvested at optimum ripeness. In most South African vineyards harvesting is carried out by hand, although machines are used on some farms. The grapes are picked into baskets and transported in bins to the winery where vinification begins."

Job Description

There are two separate internship possibilities within the Cape Town wineries.

Marketing and Business Administration:

As a marketing and business administrative intern, you will be involved in the process of marketing the wine label. You will also participate in the behind-the-scenes administrative process that keeps a wine estate operational. Wineries will occasionally host special events and interns will be expected to participate in such functions. Overall, this internship will give you a great feel for the inter-workings of a South African wine estate and the delicate task of marketing a wine label. Those who apply for this internship should enjoy working with a team and not hesitate to get their hands dirty when asked to do so. An intern should also appreciate the difference between a good and bad tasting wine!

Viticulture:

The viticulture internship position is for an applicant interested in wine making. As a viticulture intern, you will participate in the grape harvest and experience the wine making process from vine to bottle. Since the harvest season takes place between January and April, this is a seasonal internship position. Similar to the marketing internship description, expect to gain a unique understanding of the wine making process that the normal wine aficionado will never experience.

# of Positions per term

1-2 per term

Start Dates

The marketing and business internship is available year-round. The viticulture internship is only available January through April, when the Cape’s grape harvest occurs

Duration of Internship

1 Term

Academic Background

Agricultural sciences, business, marketing, food sciences, viticulture

Skills/Experience

Required: An ability to improvise and get your hands dirty
Preferred: Previous experience with marketing and/or wine farming

Language Ability

English. Interns should also be willing to learn some basic Afrikaans to communicate with farm workers.

Other Requirements

Total costs vary depending on how long you plan to be abroad, where you will be living, your personal spending habits, and current exchange rates. The following estimates will give you a ballpark figure for this internship. Get help with the math from our handy Cost Calculator.

IE₃ Program Fee

The program fee* for the first term of any internship is $2950 - $3150. You do not pay tuition in addition to the program fee. Visit your University's IE₃ page for details, costs for additional terms, and campus administrative fees.

*The program fee noted above reflects the anticipated fee increase that will go into effect for the Fall 2010 term and will apply to all terms thereafter.

Estimated One-Time Expenses

Expense Type	Price
Host Site Fees	An additional fee of $1900 applies to this program, and covers accommodation, airport transfers, local orientation, internship management, 24-hour local support, and placement. IMPORTANT BUDGET NOTE: Due to limited housing availability during the 2010 World Cup, there will be an additional $42/week accommodation surcharge between May 30 and July 17, 2010.
International Travel	$1,800 Roundtrip to Cape Town
Visa Fees
Recommended Immunizations	$400

*See Additional Cost Information below.

Estimated Monthly Expenses

Expense Type	Price/month
Housing
Food	$300
Local Transportation	$300
Recreation	150
Personal Expenses	120

Compensation

None

Additional Expense Information

Accommodation: Depending on the winery, interns will be accommodated in apartment-style accomodations in Franschhoek or Stellenbosch or in student housing in the Observatory neighborhood of Cape Town. Contact the Africa regional director for more details. Accommodation and local support is provided by Volunteer Adventure Corps.

Most interns will require a private car and driver for their daily commute. A few more remote internships require rental of a car.

This internship is offered in conjunction with Volunteer Adventure Corps of Cape Town, South Africa.

Following are several student-produced videos about the internship opportunities in Cape Town through the IE3 program.