I get asked this questions a lot! Unfortunately there is no formal process or qualification to become a barista in Australia. To be honest, most people get thrown in the deep end and learn as they go. Barista courses are a good place to get started but definitely don’t make you a qualified barista or help you manage the stresses of a busy cafe environment.
We’re hoping to change this at Melbourne Coffee Academy. That’s why we launched the first Barista Apprenticeship program for the specialty coffee industry in Australia. The aim is to not just to equip students with technical skills but also the practical and real-life skills needed to work within the hospitality industry. This means in-depth specialty coffee training along with hands-on, real-time cafe experience in a high volume environment. We believe there is no quicker (and more complete) way to learn coffee skills than to be coached by professionals in a fast-paced, high volume cafe environment. The goal of the program is to help you find work as a barista, therefore part of the course is dedicated to refining your resume and helping to create work opportunities.
What we currently offer with this course is only a starting point but we believe there is so much more we can do as an industry to create a dedicated pathway to becoming a barista. The coffee industry is thriving and we firmly believe there is a strong future and career path for dedicated, well equipped coffee professionals.