Complete with elegant stucco and historic wooden floors, Anna Schöfmann’s office is in Spitz Castle in the heart of the Wachau valley, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Region. The 26-year-old has been office manager at Vinea Wachau, the prestigious Wachau winemakers association, for the past year. Things couldn’t have turned out better for Anna, who went straight from her studies into management in one of the country’s most important wine-producing areas.
“IWB: it teaches you how to think strategically”
The International Wine Business (IWB) bachelor degree programme delivers insights into a host of different aspects, Anna explains. “What is corporate culture – and what does it have to do with the bigger picture? That’s one of the important factors that I took away with me. The programme teaches you how to think strategically. And this know-how is a great source of practical support for my day-to-day work at Vinea Wachau. I had to get a feel for the association’s DNA so that I could do my job well.”
Ideas for the family winery in the Weinviertel
Her managerial responsibilities are just one side of Anna’s story. The other is in Haugsdorf in the Weinviertel region – where her uncle Anton Schöfmann’s winery is located. Anna works in the family business alongside her brother Laurenz, and the brother and sister team also have the opportunity to do their own thing: a separate range of wines, one red and one white, which is due to be launched this year. “We’re in a very exciting phase,” she tells us proudly. Marketing, communication, social media – Anna can also put the expertise she gained from her degree to good use in this part of her life.
Highlights: wine tasting and internship in Germany
Anna Schöfmann has fond memories of her time at IMC Krems. What did she find especially cool? “The tastings! Sampling wines together. The lecturers have so much experience, you can learn a lot from them.” Another memorable feature was her internship, which took her to Germany and Europe’s largest wine importer. “I was responsible for the new product catalogue for specialist retailers – so I was working closely with the marketing department and the external agency. It was exciting!”
Anna has kept in contact with many of her former fellow students. “More than half of us found jobs in the wine industry.” At the end of the year, the core group meets up for a special wine-themed Secret Santa – and for networking, where it goes without saying that the accompanying drinks are perfect for the occasion...
© IMC FH Krems / Friedl & Schmatz
