A barista is a trained individual who makes and serves coffee, tea, and other speciality beverages. They are in charge of taking customer orders and payments. In addition, they clean and sanitise their work areas, seating areas, and equipment.
Responsibilities
Throughout your apprenticeship, you may help:
- prepare the coffee shop ready for opening
- take customer orders and payments
- grind fresh coffee beans
- prepare and serve sandwiches and cakes
- clean and tidy work areas, equipment and coffee machines
- create displays of stock
- do stock checks and order new stock
- clean and tidy the coffee shop before closing.
Salary
- Starting salaries for an apprentice is £12,500 per year.
- Experienced baristas can earn up to £20,000 per year.
Working hours
You will typically work 40 to 42 hours per week, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays on shifts.
Working environment
You could work in a coffee shop.
Your working environment may be noisy and hot.
You may need to wear a uniform.
Qualifications
Qualifications you can achieve as an apprentice barista include:
- Level 2 Hospitality Team Member – Entry requirements for this level include some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship.
This will usually take 12 months to complete. You’ll do on-the-job training and spend time at a college or training provider.
Skills
On a barista apprenticeship, you’ll learn:
- customer service skills
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- the ability to sell products and services
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to work on your own
- excellent verbal communication skills
- a good memory
- the ability to work well with your hands
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could become a store manager and then move on to a regional manager role.
You could also become self-employed and set up your own coffee shop.