Barista Training Venue Open To Public - cheap drinks help new Baristas learn

Whanganui training provider, Training For You, has opened its hospitality training venue for members of the public to experience.

Students on the Hospitality, Level 2 course have been honing their barista skills over the past 11 weeks and are now ready to serve customers in a real-life coffee house.

Members of the public can visit the coffee house on the Training For You campus and enjoy a range of hot and cold drinks, in return for a gold coin donation.

The Hospitality, Level 2 course at Training For You provides students with fundamental skills for the hospitality industry. Learners get an insight in to the different opportunities available and how they can enhance a customer’s experience. Particularly in barista training, students learn the important foundations of coffee production - the origins, harvesting and processing of coffee beans. They are trained in different styles of coffee brewing; expresso coffees on a commercial espresso machine, filter coffee and French press. Specialty drinks such as iced coffees and herbal teas are also taught.

The current cohorts have transformed their training room into a western-themed coffee house for the public.

Training For You Hospitality Tutor, Bex Carr says, “The students have been working on a wild west themed style café and would love for members of the public to ‘mosey along’. For a unique experience with friends and family, we’d love the community to ‘saddle up’ and join us!”

Customers can enjoy a range of choices from a ‘Lone Star Latte’ to a ‘Ruthless Raspberry and Cranberry Tea’. Iced drinks including the ‘Marksman Iced Mocha’ will also go down a treat.

Alternative milk options have been considered as well – almond milk, soy milk and coconut milk are on the menu.

Campus Manager, Emma Murphy, says the students are looking forward to putting their new skills into practice. “It is great to see the passion the students have and how proud they are of their café’. It is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn in a real environment. We would love the public to get in behind this initiative and support the students.”

Children and groups are welcome. Children have even been catered for especially, with some fun photo frames and games to entertain them.

For just five weeks, the Wild West coffee house is open to the public 9.30am-2.00pm, Monday to Friday at the Training For You campus at 148 Ingestre Street.

Free parking is available outside the Training For You campus at 148 Ingestre Street Whanganui.

Training For You is a private tertiary education provider delivering New Zealand Level 1-5 programmes through online learning and on-campus classes in Whanganui. Programmes on offer include Early Childhood Education, Teacher Aide, Hospitality, Retail, Healthcare and Intensive Literacy and Numeracy, as well as the NZCALNE Level 5 qualification for vocational tutors and workplace trainers. For more information visit the website www.trainingforyou.co.nz

Karen Hughes
River City Press 24/10/19