Josh_KnoxTN

Crickets~  Nice!

New to the forum, so I've got to introduce myself.

I'm 5 weeks(of 13 weeks) into getting a certificate in Professional Brewing/Distilling Technology class at the Brewing & Distilling Center here in Knoxville, TN. I'm switching career paths from landscaping to distilling for many reasons. Distilling is incredibly fascinating to me, so I decided to go to school for it and see where it takes me. After a few weeks of school I almost switched gears to beer brewing, but honestly distilling is still my favorite of the two.

Outside of school I'm required to contact local breweries/distilleries, to network and volunteer my labor towards gaining "Industry Related Experience" for a minimum of 24 hours to complete the course. Which has been a cinch. I've already acquired my 24 hrs with just the first 3 places I volunteered. But I plan on continuing volunteering my services to really get a feel for the different ways everyone approaches the distilling craft.

I do have some questions for the experienced, whom are willing to help.

• What kind of pay range(s) can I expect through the distilling ranks? Most are agreeing it isn't much, but won't say how much.
• Do you any advice for a novice, that you wish you'd had when you started this path?
• Should I focus on only working for the large distilleries for top pay?
• Where is the best place to find good distilling jobs(ADI forum, job websites, etc)?
• Besides experience, what would/could distinguish me from other distilling candidates when applying for a job?

Thanks,

Josh