Become a Barista

Brewing a Barista coffee may seem like a simple task. However, there is more involved in making the perfect cup of Barista coffee than you would think. Taking a Barista Course will assist you in becoming a Barista and landing a Barista job. There are barista espresso machines to operate, different coffee styles to memorise and latte art to learn. But, there is appeal to working in a local coffee shop and learning the art form of being a Barista. You probably don’t know the first thing about working as a Barista. In addition, here is some information, tips and tricks to get you started.

What is a Barista?

A Barista is someone who prepares and serves espresso based drinks. Coffee has become part of today’s culture and society, therefore Barista jobs are a desired and lucrative choice of employment. Additionally, the skills required to become a Barista include; love of coffee, attention to detail and people skills.

Barista Course

It is possible to become a Barista without doing a Barista Course. That’s if you can find an employer to train you on the job. Although completing a Barista Course gives you the theory component on Coffee that you may not be able to grasp if training on the Job. A Barista Course (Prepare and Serve Espresso Coffee) will teach you many important things regarding coffee. Such as, how it is grown and how to properly grind it. As well as the right measurements for every coffee mixture and even its origin. Furthermore, an RTO may offer accredited barista training programs including Prepare and Serve Espresso Coffee.

Land your first Barista Job

To land your first Barista job, you need to know what the coffee shop is looking for. Most coffee shops will require you to submit a cover letter and resume. While some may require you to have prior experience and have completed a Barista course. In other instances, the manager may simply be looking for some of the following qualities in their Barista.

Love for coffee

Having a love for drinking coffee, learning about coffee and serving good coffee is a must. Therefore, we recommended you become familiar with your local coffee shop. One suggestion is to become a regular customer at a coffee shop you wish to work at. This will give you an insight to the coffee shop and the expectations they have when it comes to serving barista coffee.

Friendly, cheerful, happy

Being a Barista means you are at the front of a coffee shop’s customer service. Therefore you may be greeted by a grumpy customer who is in need of their morning caffeine hit. As a result, you must always have a friendly, cheerful and happy attitude day to day in your Barista job. Furthermore, completing a Barista Course will teach you customer service skills, and how to deal with these situations.

Reliable

Typically a Barista will be required to work weekends, night shifts, and long hours. So be prepared to work hard and show up on time before you apply for a Barista job.

Attention to detail

The coffee shop manager will want to know that you will make good looking and great tasting coffee. Hence we recommend that you become a detail focused Barista who aims to give every customer the best cup of Barista coffee.

People person

As a Barista you will be working in a team with other staff, and with customers. Therefore, you need to present the skills to be a good team player and enjoy working with people.

Take it to the next level

It is possible to move up in the hospitality industry once you land a Barista job and complete an accredited Barista Course. Other possible job roles include bar manager or food and beverage manager. As well as waiter or even owning your own coffee shop. By completing barista training and gaining on the job experience you are creating a pathway for a long term career.

Further to this, entering Barista competitions will help to take your profile to the next level. World Coffee Events support competitions run by the Australian Specialty Coffee Association. Consequently, you will grow as a Barista as these competitions are world renowned.

Finally, look for coffee events in your city that you can get involved in. For example, the double shot coffee fiesta in Unley is a showcase of coffee, Baristas and latte art.

In short, you can become a Barista in any local coffee shop without a course or experience. That’s if they are willing to teach you. However, look into completing a local Barista course as this is better for your resume. Try this one from HITsa training and employment. Lastly, confident, friendly and cheerful attitude will help you land a winning job as a Barista.

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Apprentice Chefs join HITsa

HITsa launched Certificate 3 in Commercial Cookery last month and welcomed 30 apprentice chefs into the program.

These chefs-in-training are at different stages of their four year apprenticeships with a number transferring from TAFE and others being new to the industry and just starting their off-the-job training.

The Certificate 3 in Commercial Cookery qualification provides a pathway to work as a commercial cook in restaurants, hotels, clubs, pubs, cafés, coffee shops or similar.

Why Choose HITsa to train in a Chef Apprenticeships?

HITsa is one of ten training organisations approved by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) to deliver this nationally recognised qualification in South Australia.  We are proud that   Australian Hotels Association (SA) has endorsed us as a Certificate 3 in Commercial Cookery training provider and we thank them for this acknowledgement.

The design and delivery of HITsa’s program makes it a great option for both employers and their apprentices.  Because classes are regular and routine (being held on a weekly basis), rostering is easier for employers.  Weekly classes are also good for apprentices because there’s no need to be away from the workplace for any length of time to attend training blocks.

Quentin Beare is HITsa’s Cookery Training Manager.  He has over 30 years’ kitchen experience including five star fine dining, local hotels, fly-in-fly-out, aged care and casual cafes.  He’s also worked in food sales, food safety, audit and workplace health and safety.  With such a broad food based CV, Quentin has been able to design a training program of the highest standard.  As an example, he’s planning excursions to food markets and similar for apprentices to experience the selection of fresh produce.

Metropolitan classes for the cookery school are being held at HITsa’s newly opened Parkside training rooms and the commercial kitchen at Coopers Stadium, Hindmarsh.  Regional training has started in Port Pirie.

HITsa’s course fee for Certificate 3 in Commercial Cookery is very competitive at $1,200.  This is payable in 3 instalments ($400 per year).

Already have a contract of training?

An apprentice and employer can agree to change the training provider listed on a training contract.  For more information, you can visit the WorkReady website – http://www.skills.sa.gov.au/apprenticeships-traineeships/employing-an-apprentice-or-trainee/changing-your-apprenticeship-or-traineeship .

Have questions or want to know more?

We are very excited about our cookery program and know that it is a quality training option for apprentices.  so please contact us if you are interested in commencing a Cookery Apprenticeship (we have a great network of employer contacts), or are an employer seeking a training provider – Contact HITsa.

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Congratulations 2017 SACE Students!

Congratulations to all students who have finished their SACE Stage 2 this year. We do hope that you have completed this important qualification with a true sense of achievement and pride.

SACE is a valuable qualification

We love the holistic approach to learning embedded in this SACE description from the SACE website –

The South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) is a secondary school qualification designed to help you develop capabilities to live, learn, work, and participate successfully in an ever-changing society. It offers a lot of flexibility, allowing you to choose your subjects and complete the qualification in a timeframe that suits you.

These are powerful words.  Traditionally, the primary focus of the final year of school has been to gain entry to tertiary education.  Now the definition of the qualification is capturing a broader purpose.  By way of example, the term “develop capabilities” isn’t just relating to subject knowledge.  It’s also referencing life skills such as time management, communication, prioritisation, goal setting and resilience.  As well as being necessary to achieving SACE, these skills are equally important for students to “live, learn, work and participate successfully” after secondary school.

SACE Stage 1 & 2 present very differently to the Year 12 / matriculation from a generation ago.  Vocational learning, non-traditional learning (eg. community service) and a broader range of subjects are now options a student may select.  This broader approach means that more students can achieve.  In turn, this increased success is a great thing for our “ever-changing society”.

HITsa students

We would like to make special mention of our Sacred Heart College (SHC) students who completed their Certificate III in Retail through HITsa as part of their Stage 2 studies.  The effort and commitment shown by these students has been exemplary.  Congratulations to them for a job very well done!

HITsa looks forward to continuing our learning journey with SHC students studying Certificate III in Business Administration.  These students will complete in 2018.

The endorsement received from SHC (below) acknowledges the positive relationships that are developing between SHC students and educators –

HITsa has been extremely accommodating to the needs of our students with disability and their approach professional in all aspects of the training provided. The trainers have developed a good rapport with the students and tailored the training to match the learning styles of each individual.  HITsa’s regularly communicate with the relevant school personnel on student progress and liaise with workplace supervisors to ensure that the training is relevant and practical. We look forward to continuing our strong relationship with HITsa.

Meredith Jones, Learning Environment CoOrdinator
Sacred Heart College

Vocational learning and SACE

If you are now at the end of your secondary school journey, again our congratulations to you.  We invite you to explore HITsa training courses on our website where you may find a course to set you up for a part time hospitality job that will support you through Uni, or you may find training and employment opportunities that can offer genuine career prospects.

Finally, if you are stepping into either SACE Stage 1 or 2 next year, why not explore the vocational qualifications available through HITsa?  Up to 150 SACE credits can be recognised at Stage 1 and/or Stage 2 for successfully completed qualifications.  Please contact us on 8351 5855 to find out what is available in 2018.

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Is a Business Traineeship for You?

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Is a traineeship for you?

As the 2017 school year winds up, Year 12 high school students are seriously thinking about their “what next”?  Many know what they will be doing  in 2018 whilst others are less certain.  University is a common “next step” but it’s not for everyone.  Further, not everybody wants to go to Uni straight from high school.  It is becoming much more common for students to take a gap year.   If you’re not already committed to a university place in 2018, a traineeship is something you may like to consider.

What is a traineeship?

The Victorian Department for Employment and Training provides a great explanation of traineeships and apprenticeships – http://www.education.vic.gov.au/training/learners/apprentices/Pages/what.aspx

An apprenticeship or traineeship is a contract between an employer and an employee where the apprentice or trainee learns the skills needed for a particular job.
They can be undertaken full-time or part-time and can be used as a valuable stepping stone to start a career in an industry you want to work in.
As an apprentice or trainee, you can:

  • learn valuable, nationally recognised job skills
  • get paid while learning
  • combine formal training from a TAFE or training provider with workplace-based training.

Anyone of working age who is interested in a career in the industry of their choice can be an apprentice or trainee, subject to citizenship or visa conditions.

The Good Universities Guide outlines 5 benefits of a traineeship at https://www.gooduniversitiesguide.com.au/education-blogs/tertiary-study/five-advantages-of-apprenticeships-and-traineeships

Traineeship versus Apprenticeship

The Victorian Department for Employment and Training website goes on to explain​

The main difference between apprentices and trainees is the level of commitment that both the apprentice or trainee and the employer make.
Under an apprenticeship:

  • an employer agrees to employ you for the term of the apprenticeship and to support you in your training for that period of time, and you agree to follow instruction and attend off-the-job and/or workplace-based training
  • if your employer sells the business during your apprenticeship, the new employer must continue with the training contract
  • once the probationary period of the training contract has passed, all parties must agree in order for the contract to be cancelled.

Under a traineeship:

  • an employer agrees to employ you for the term of the traineeship and to support you in your training for that period of time, and you agree to follow instruction and attend structured training
  • if the business is sold, the new employer does not have to keep you on as a trainee
  • either party may cancel the contract by signing a cancellation form or letter stating the date of cancellation. Mutual agreement is not required.

Business Traineeships

You can complete a Business Traineeship in 18 months or less.  As such, it may fit nicely into a gap year after Year 12.  You can gain new skills whilst assessing your job and career options.  Plus, if you don’t yet have a strong university ambition, it’s much cheaper to do a traineeship than start a university degree that you won’t ever finish.  Trainees earn a wage as well as gain experience, knowledge and opportunity to build on their personal networks.

The “real life” workplace experience you gain through a traineeship is a valuable addition to your CV.  Should you continue onto University after completing your traineeship, this work experience can set you apart from the crowd when applying for future professional roles.

You can find more information about traineeships and apprenticeships on the SA Government’s WorkReady website http://skills.sa.gov.au/apprenticeships-traineeships/get-an-apprenticeship-or-traineeship/what-is-an-apprenticeship-or-traineeship.

HITsa can support a Business Traineeship through the delivery of Certificate III in Business Administration.  You may enrol at any time during the year and you don’t need to be in a job or traineeship to study this qualification.  It’s not just for school leavers either.  You will attend one classroom based session per month, plus undertake an interesting variety of independent learning activities.  This combination will allow you to meet and network with like-minded students as well as progress through activities at your own pace outside of the classroom.

Business Administration Success Story

Don’t think that a business traineeship is something you do until your “real” job comes along.  Instead it is highly regarded as an entry level career opportunity.  It provides the foundation for a successful career in a diverse range of industries.  The story below demonstrates what is possible through this qualification.

Megan

Megan completed Year 12 in 2012. Unfortunately she did not achieve the ATAR score she needed to study a degree in primary school teaching.  As a consequence, Megan undertook an alternative pathway to university, being Foundation Studies in Education, Arts and Social Sciences.  She completed this in 2013.  However, Megan had changed her mind about primary school teaching and elected to study a degree in Media Arts.  During this time, Megan was also working 33 hours per week in a retail job.

Megan learnt that there were only limited career opportunities in her field of study.  With a further two years of study to go, she began to question whether the commitment and cost was going to be worthwhile in the long run.

With these thoughts in mind, Megan looked to explore other career options and decided to pursue a business traineeship.  She described this as “a great opportunity for me as I can earn and learn while also gaining experience in an administrative role with varied tasks“.

Megan was successful in obtaining a business traineeship position with Store Ur Stuff, a self storage business in Clarence Gardens in May 2015.  After completing her traineeship, she went on to obtain a position of Administration Officer with Saturno Group of Companies.  This role includes supervision of a Business Trainee.  She is enjoying a secure, diverse and rewarding role and has positioned herself ready for further career advancement and/or further studies.

Should you wish to discuss where Certificate III in Business Administration or a business traineeship may take you, please contact HITsa – we would love to hear from you.

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Hospitality Jobs in Adelaide

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Adelaide weather is warming up and summer is well and truly on its way.  Along with these longer days and summer sun comes many new seasonal hospitality jobs in Adelaide.

Adelaide hotels, cafes, bars and restaurants are taking plenty of bookings for November and December festivities.  Consequently these businesses are looking for extra staff which can also mean new job opportunities for you.

Naturally, employers tend to prefer experienced staff for hospitality jobs but don’t let this put you off if you’re new to the hospitality game.  There are many other things you can do to impress at interview instead of offering a resume of experience.  Below we suggest a few tips and tricks for anybody without experience and looking to secure a hospitality job.

Getting ready for hospitality jobs

You should be taking action that will allow you to stand out from the crowd even before you land your first interview.

  1. UNDERTAKE SKILLS TRAINING. HITsa Industry Training delivers a number of job-ready training programs for hospitality.  These short courses introduce you to the practical skills needed from Day 1 of your new job – https://www.hitsa.com.au/subsidised-hospitality-job-ready-training-sa/ . Whilst training can’t always replace real life “on the job” experience, you can demonstrate a commitment to your hospitality goal by completing a training course.  Such a course may also be a good way to connect with hospitality businesses as they regularly seek out these students when looking for extra staff for hospitality jobs.
  2. HAVE YOUR RESPONSIBLE SERVICE OF ALCOHOL (RSA) CERTIFICATE. To serve or sell alcohol in South Australia, you must have an RSA certificate from a Nationally Recognised RTO, such as HITsa.  Potential employers will expect you to have an RSA certificate if you are applying for hospitality jobs that involve the service of alcohol.  You can get your RSA certificate through online or class room learning or as part of the job-ready skills training course – https://www.hitsa.com.au/responsible-service-of-alcohol/. Consumer & Business Services can provide you with more details on RSA requirements in South Australia – https://www.cbs.sa.gov.au/licensing-and-registration/liquor/responsible-service-of-alcohol-training-rsa/
  3. COMPLETE A FIRST AID COURSE.  This is another very relevant qualification for hospitality jobs that employers would consider favourably – https://www.hitsa.com.au/provide-first-aid-course
  4. REVIEW YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILE.  Most potential employers will check out your social media profile as part of their recruitment process.  Make sure your Facebook page is a positive reflection of yourself.

Got an interview?  Be ready to impress

An interview is your opportunity to stand out from the crowd so taking the time to prepare is very important.  Your research will not only give you a better understanding of your potential employer, their business and the role you may be offered, it will also help to settle your pre-interview nerves.

  1. BE PREPARED.  You should find out more about the place where you may be working.  If time permits, even go there for a meal or a drink and observe the staff, the décor and the ambience.  Then at interview, be sure to let your interviewer know that you’ve done this extra research.
    It’s especially important to think about the questions you could be asked during your interview and also practice your answers.  As you’re likely to be asked “Do you have any questions for us?”, it’s also a really good idea to have a couple of your own questions on the ready.  If you think you could get nervous and forget them, why not write them down?  You can impress with a thoughtful response rather than asking about pay rates or hours of work.  Perhaps there is a topical issue in the media that is relevant and can demonstrate your wider interest in the hospitality industry.
  2. HAVE A HIGH STANDARD OF PERSONAL PRESENTATION.  As you’ll be interacting with customers and handling their meals and drinks in your new job, good personal grooming and hygiene is essential.  Your interview outfit must be neat, tidy and ironed.  No rips, stains or frays.  If you have  long hair, it’s best to tie it back.

At the Interview

  1. DON’T BE LATE. A practice run in the car or on public transport is a very good idea so you can time how long it will take you to get to your interview location.  On interview day try to arrive 10 minutes early.  If you are running late for any unforeseen reason, give your interviewer a courtesy phone call to let them know.
  2. MAINTAIN POSITIVE BODY LANGUAGE. Be confident!  Walk with purpose, smile and use eye contact.  You want to present as warm, welcoming, positive and in control so don’t cross your arms or slouch in your seat.  There’s to be no swearing and no slang when you speak and it’s best not to use casual words like “dunno, yep or nup”.  Further, don’t interrupt when your interviewer is speaking and give them your full attention.  At completion of the interview, thank your interviewer using their name, and shake their hand.  Remember also that if there is more than one person doing the interview, make sure you acknowledge everybody.
  3. SELL YOURSELF. You may not have the work experience, but consider what other skills or experience you’ve got.  How about the training you’ve just completed?  Are you a passionate foodie? Do you love meeting new people?  Have you volunteered time to a community service whilst looking for a job?  Challenge yourself before interview to answer the question “Why should they give me this job?” and be ready to answer this at interview, with examples to back up your statements wherever possible.

HITsa – here to help to find a job

HITsa provide training and employment solutions to the South Australian hospitality industry.  Our jobs board is regularly updated and a great place for you to track what hospitality jobs are available across Adelaide – https://www.hitsa.com.au/job-board/ .  Please call or email to enquire about upcoming courses or current job vacancies.

 

 

 

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