Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David Fritzler on January 12, 2009 at 9:34am

I suppose that this could make sense in some instances depending on the commitment and availability of the trainee and the scheduling needs of the store but I am generally against this idea.

As a trainer, you're passing along skills and knowledge that has your name attached to the trainee wherever they go. So you can't half-train a barista. I want a commitment from them that while they're with me, "barista" is their profession. They're not grad students working in a coffee house to pay some bills. They may be a barista who is in a band, but they're not a musician, slinging shots when not on the road.

"Half in" baristas lead to scheduling nightmares, a lack of commitment to continuing education, and I don't think that it's possible to stay sharp unless you're on a machine at least a couple times a week. I won't train someone unless I'm pretty confident that at a minimum they'll be full time for six months or part time for a year.

Permalink Reply by Eli Kalen on January 13, 2009 at 4:21pm

I really see what you are getting at. From my personal stand point. I'm working on contacting the local Roaster in Taos, NM so that I can start cupping coffees, and learning to Roast. I'm going to be in the coffee business for the rest of my life. It comes down to getting into a job before the Tourists start arriving this spring. I'm looking to get into a position where I can pass on and perfect what I have learned. After not being able to pull shots for four months now, I would be willing to make coffee for free. Just trying to figure out my angle.
Eli