Trust, tradition, and transformation in wine & spirits education
The wine and spirits sector has always been built on trust. Consumers expect authenticity in every bottle, and employers expect credibility in every qualification. A certificate from a reputable sommelier school is more than a piece of paper – it signals authority, craftsmanship, and expertise across restaurants, wineries, and hospitality worldwide.
But just as wine fraud has pushed producers to prove provenance, education providers now face growing pressure to prove qualifications. Paper diplomas alone no longer fit the needs of a digital-first, mobile workforce:
- Employers expect quick, reliable verification of skills.
- Graduates want certificates they can share instantly across borders.
- Institutions seek modernisation that supports their mission of teaching, without adding IT burdens.
This shift is happening across all of education. The wine and spirits sector shows how tradition can embrace innovation while keeping teaching practices intact and staff focused on what they do best — educating.
Sommelier Master Leads the Way
Founded in 2016, Sommelier Master has built a strong home and international presence with specialised programs rooted in hands-on experience, educating eight generations of wine and spirits professionals as well as passionate amateurs.
In 2022, the academy piloted digital certificates with Velocert’s predecessor. By 2025, it took the next step:
- 90 graduates received fully digital, EU-standardised diplomas.
- Alumni from previous years were retro-issued digital diplomas, ensuring all generations benefited equally.
This made Sommelier Master one of the region’s first wine and spirits academies to deliver future-proof, EDC-aligned credentials.
Crucially, Sommelier Master is not a large university with an IT department. It’s a specialised academy with a small team. Yet the process was smooth and manageable:
“Even as a small institution, we could issue digital diplomas without technical hurdles. The key was organisational clarity – assigning roles, setting communication. The technology itself was simple.” – Aleksander Bohinc, co-founder of Sommelier Master
Their story proves a key point: digital credentialing isn’t just for big universities. Smaller academies, vocational schools, and even non-formal programs can leap — without needing to become IT experts.
What Others Can Learn
Sommelier Master’s journey shows that digital credentialing is less about technology and more about readiness. The tools are built to be intuitive — no large IT team required. What helps most is a bit of planning: decide who will take the lead, and prepare your data in a simple, usable format (yes, even a spreadsheet will do). From there, issuing credentials is remarkably straightforward.
Here are three lessons worth keeping in mind:
- Organise first, issue second
Decide early who prepares the data, who validates, and who issues. Start small if you like — one course is enough to test the process — then expand once it feels natural. - Think beyond IT
Digital diplomas are not just an admin upgrade. They change how students present themselves to employers, how alumni stay connected, and how institutions extend value. Make sure these benefits are communicated clearly. - Blend tradition with innovation
Sommelier Master still offers paper certificates alongside digital ones. This dual approach reassures students while letting digital adoption grow naturally. Over time, digital credentials have even become gateways to alumni perks, such as event access or loyalty programs, turning them into living assets.
Trust Matters in Hospitality
The hospitality sector is international by nature. Sommeliers trained in Ljubljana may apply for jobs in London, Milan, or Dubai. For recruiters in these markets, time is limited and credibility is critical.
Digital diplomas solve this pain point:
- A hiring manager can verify authenticity in seconds, just as consumers scan QR codes to check wine provenance.
- Institutions strengthen their reputation by ensuring alumni credentials are trusted worldwide.
For industries where counterfeits and credibility gaps can damage careers, this is more than convenience – it is a strategic advantage.
The European Moment
Across Europe, the transition to digital credentials is accelerating. The policy backdrop is clear:
- By 2026, every EU citizen will have access to a European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI).
- The EDC standard already ensures digital credentials carry the same legal force as paper.
- Work is underway to harmonise learning outcomes and program descriptions for smooth cross-border recognition.
For institutions, the message is simple: don’t wait until the last minute. Early adopters, like Sommelier Master, gain not just compliance but also a competitive advantage — their graduates already stand out with qualifications that are portable, verifiable, and trusted across borders.
Velocert: Built for Europe
This is where Velocert comes in. Purpose-built for the European ecosystem, it gives institutions and learners confidence through:
- Legal certainty – credentials recognised across 27 EU Member States.
- Employer trust – instant verification through official EU trust frameworks.
- Scalability – from a single course to a full portfolio.
- Future-readiness – continuous updates for new credential types and evolving regulations.
Velocert combines institutional branding with the privacy, interoperability, and compliance Europe requires. Credentials are not just digital documents — they are secure, legally valid trust instruments that carry weight across borders.
What’s Next
Sommelier Master’s story shows that digital credentialing is already here, not a distant promise. Their alumni now carry proof of achievement that travels as easily as they do, opening doors worldwide.
Velocert’s role is to make this transition seamless:
- Simple onboarding and issuance, even for institutions without IT teams.
- Compliance by design, aligned with EU frameworks.
- Scalable growth, from one program to many.
- Continuous innovation, with new credential types added as education evolves.
Digital diplomas are quickly becoming the standard. Institutions that act now will not only be ready for regulation but will also give their learners a competitive global edge.
Sommelier Master shows it can be done – even by a small, specialised academy. The invitation is clear: start today, and lead the way.
