Tea Management : Eligibility & Course Areas

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Educational: Even though anybody who have a basic educational background can get into tea industry, and pick up the skills required on the job, a degree in Agricultural Science or a B.Sc. in Botany, Food Sciences, Horticulture or allied fields is preferred these days. Candidates who have specialised in business management or marketing are recruited for marketing jobs.

New entrants are taken on as Assistants at the plantation level. After gaining experience and competence an assistant can get promoted to the level of Assistant Manager, and then Manager of a tea garden. Most assistants can expect to become managers in 12-15 years of service.

Potential tea tasters selected are trained on the job. Besides natural talents, vigorous training for a number of years is essential before becoming a professional tea taster and then a tea tasting manager. Besides acquiring skills in tasting, they need to work on their managerial and marketing capabilities too.

Personal attributes

One opting for a career in the filed must have an interest and liking for outdoor life. Must be physically fit, adaptable and self-reliant. Leadership qualities and the ability to deal with labourers is an added asset for plantation/ factory managers. One must also have initiative, be knowledgeable about the tea market and be alert to changing market forces, and should be willing to undertake strenuous work. Should possess fair knowledge about the topography and geographical location of the tea estate. Tea tasters need to have keen taste buds and should keep their sensitivities clean. They should therefore be inclined to keep smoking, drinking and intake of spicy foods in check. Those planning to become brokers should be level headed and disciplined and be able to strike a good rapport with producers and buyers.