We have all been there, shuffling through resumes & perhaps even writing our own. Something that consistently will appear on resumes are “Coffee masterclass”, or “hospitality; coffee cert 3”, the list goes on.
All coffee certificates I have come across do not require you to reach a specific skill set for you to receive them. You just need to be able to afford it $$$ (they aren’t cheap). The only exception to this is the Q- Grader Course that tests specialty coffee professionals on their knowledge and sensory skills to provide them with a Q Grader Certificate.
In general, coffee certificates aren’t recognised by employers. They don’t signify particular achievements or skills. The Q grader certificate, on the other hand, shows that you have a deep understanding of sensory knowledge and are able to apply it to legally score coffee. The issue here is that there is no universally accepted standard of making coffee. This creates a lot of doubt and ambiguity as to what a ‘qualified’ barista actually means.
Our industry is begging for a legitimate recognised coffee school worldwide. In a perfect world, there would be a universally recognised coffee school that has standards within specialty and commodity coffee and levels students can progress through. These levels would not only teach students how to make coffee, but everything to do with the industry. These levels could then be used to infer a student’s competence, in everything from tamping coffee to cupping and legally scoring them as a Q grader. A course such as this would make it easier for students to learn about coffee and for employers to identify suitable candidates for certain roles. I really want to make this happen. In my opinion, coffee making should be recognised as a trade just like any other. You should have to study and gain a base knowledge and licence before going out there in the world.
That being said, any experience behind a coffee machine is valuable, being in a controlled environment can build the confidence to put yourself out there and get the experience in a cafe. However, I believe that the most valuable experience comes from working at a cafe that you believe makes the best coffee. Even if you are not stationed behind the coffee machine, just immersing yourself in this environment allows you to learn about coffee, and the skills required to make coffee efficiently, consistently and tasty.
Everyone gains experience at their own pace, you may have to start as a FOH or dishy before you learn how to make coffee or get that job at your favourite cafe. Learn as much as you can, clean some cups and surfaces while you’re there and really push hard with the barista/boss to learn as much as you can within your own space. This is where you will gain a lot of confidence and “insider knowledge” which you won’t get in a barista course, plus you will also be able to put your experience of making coffee in a cafe on your resume.
To conclude, yes, a coffee certificate could get you a job, however, your chances of being employed are higher if you have any working experience. I personally do not have any coffee certification despite working, competing and building this industry for over a decade now. This is not to discredit any coffee certificates, as I mentioned before, all experience is valuable experience. We all need to work together to create a universal qualification of making coffee.
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