Distilling Change, One Professional at a Time
Grow your knowledge, earn industry-recognized certifications, connect with spirits producers, and expand your access to the spirits industry as you take your next STEP forward. Experience isn’t required, but passion is!
With Us
Interested in Exploring the Spirits Industry?
We got you covered. STEPUP is a no-cost hybrid externship introducing selected participants to the spirits industry through guided online learning and structured distillery shadowing (with an optional wholesaler component). Designed to fit within your daily life and schedule, the program builds industry literacy, clarity, and confidence—so your next step is informed and intentional.
Our Program
We Craft Your Passion Into Opportunity
You’re passionate about spirits. Ready to explore what’s next?
STEPUP offers a flexible, education-forward externship that meets you where you are. You don’t need a background in spirits to begin exploring your place in the industry. Our three-month hybrid program is offered at no cost to selected trainees and provides structured learning, guidance, and industry access to help you build foundational knowledge, gain perspective, and explore what’s possible as you chart your own spirited path forward.
What Sets Our Program Apart:
Included WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust certification) Levels 1 & 2, Forklift, OSHA-10 Safety Training Certifications
On-Site, Interactive Shadowing Experiences at a Distillery (Elective distributor field experience for expanded exposure)
Mentorship, Community Engagement, Career Coaching
Success Stories
See How We’ve Changed the Lives of Real People Like You
Alexcia Pugh
2024 STEPUP Graduate
Bourbon Production Expert, Bulleit Distilling
“STEPUP didn’t just give me a foot in the door—it gave me space to connect, as myself.”
Erica C. Paul
2024 STEPUP Graduate
Michael James Jackson Foundation for Brewing & Distilling Scholarship Recipient - Fall 2024
“I gained professional and practical knowledge throughout the program, along with a broader scope on my spirit specialty, style, and signature within the spirits industry.”
Erin Lee
2022 STEPUP Graduate
Former Head Distiller at FEW Spirits/Heaven Hill
“Thanks to the training I received through the STEPUP program, I became Head Distiller at an award-winning, internationally-recognised craft distillery within just 17 months of graduating.”
JOIN US
Ready to
?
Mentors
Are you the person others turn to for advice and guidance?
Share your industry experience and perspective, help trainees build confidence, respond to questions, and explore their possibilities within the spirits industry by offering encouragement and real-world insight.
Join a Network of Notable Names:
Lead Distillery Technician, Heaven Hill Springs
Director & Chief Executive Officer, Young's Holdings
Beverage Scientist, Michigan State University
Co-Founder & Consultant, Cut Point Distilling
Spirits Specialist & Executive Director, Good Deeds Spirits
Former Beverage Director, Old Elk Distillery
Distilleries
STEPUP invites you to host trainees for a guided, two-day onsite experience near the completion of their online learning. Through structured shadowing across key areas of your business, trainees connect coursework to real-world practice while gaining insight into how your operation comes together.
Join a Network of Notable Names:
Baltimore, MD
Newport, KY
Coram, MT
Rochester, NY
Louisville, KY
Tullahoma, TN
Bloomington, IN
Nashville, TN
New Tripoli, PA
Shively, KY
Portland, OR
Donors
Your Support Gives Trainees a STEPUP!
Contributions fund education, career coaching, and real-world industry exposure—helping trainees build knowledge, confidence, and momentum toward careers in the spirits industry.
Join a Network of Notable Names:
OUR MISSION
Empowering the Future of the Spirits Industry
STEPUP was founded to enhance access for passionate, motivated people looking for a way in. Our Mission is to provide access to the spirits industry through structured educational training, real-world exposure, and career-readiness resources for individuals historically underrepresented in the field.
In 2020, leaders within the American Craft Spirits Association took a hard look at who had access to the industry—and who didn’t. That year brought a powerful call to action—one that made it clear the industry needed to move beyond conversation and toward meaningful change. What began as an idea quickly became a commitment.
Since graduating our first class in 2021, STEPUP has continued to evolve—learning, listening, and refining the program along the way. Today, we’re proud to offer broader access than ever before, while staying true to the care, quality, and passion that shaped STEPUP from the very beginning.
Together, We Work To:
Make learning accessible, fun, flexible, and free for those selected—so more people can take their first step.
Open doors that have traditionally been hard to find or harder to walk through.
Bring new energy, curiosity, innovation, and ideas into the spirits industry.
Strengthen the industry by welcoming the next generation of talent and innovators.