GUEST COLUMN:
Ellen Wakelam
Company Director / Founder
In the Welsh Wind Distillery
When we set up In the Welsh Wind seven years ago, we had no background in distilling. I was a geography teacher, and my partner Alex was a baker. But what we did have was curiosity, a willingness to learn, and an industry full of people happy to share their knowledge.
We read everything we could, reached out to distillers across the UK and Ireland, and taught ourselves how to distil.
Since then, we have built a business making gin, vodka, and now whisky, and in the process, we have gained first-hand experience of just how important skills development is in food and drink manufacturing. Recruiting and retaining the right people has been essential to our success, and it will be crucial to the future growth of the industry in Wales.
Wales is developing an exciting reputation for whisky production. With the recent granting of geographical indication (GI) status, Welsh whisky has a protected identity, and more distilleries are beginning to emerge. Yet the skills needed to build this industry aren’t widely available in Wales, and there is currently no dedicated distilling apprenticeship. This means businesses like ours have had to find alternative routes – adapting brewing apprenticeships, training people in-house, and drawing on the goodwill of the wider sector.
Despite the challenges, we have been able to develop skills within our business and support young people into the industry. Seven apprentices have trained with us so far, with two still on board and one now working at a major Scottish distillery. We have taken a flexible approach to recruitment, bringing in people who may not have applied if we had insisted on specific industry experience. By training them ourselves and using apprenticeship schemes to develop their knowledge, we have built a team with the right skills to take our business forward.
Retaining staff is just as important as recruiting them, especially in a rural area like ours. For some, living and working in West Wales is an active choice – they know how special this part of the world is and want to stay. For others, we have worked hard to create an environment where they feel valued and invested in our business. Regular appraisals, clear progression routes, and open communication have all played a part.
One of the simplest but most effective things we have introduced is our “jar of gratitude”. Each week, team members write down something they are grateful for – a colleague’s help, a successful project, a milestone achieved. It may sound small, but taking time to recognise achievements and appreciate each other fosters a positive workplace culture.
We have also worked with Food & Drink Skills Wales on training in behavioural skills using the DISC model. Understanding how different people work and communicate has helped us build a stronger team, and as we continue to grow, this foundation will be essential for bringing in new people and ensuring they feel part of our business.
Over the next decade, the food and drink industry in Wales has an opportunity to strengthen its reputation and expand into new markets. But to do that, we need to invest in skills – not just technical knowledge, but also soft skills that prepare people for a successful career. Whether through apprenticeships, in-house training, or wider industry initiatives, developing and retaining talent will be critical to ensuring the sector’s long-term success.
We know that not everyone who joins us will stay forever, but our aim is to equip them with the skills and confidence to succeed wherever they go next. If we can create a workforce that is highly skilled, adaptable, and passionate about Welsh food and drink, then the whole industry will benefit. That, for us, is the real opportunity ahead.
