Erika is a recent graduate of Cafe Operations, a course offered through our Jesuit Community College. She shares how taking part in the training has given her confidence, community and an improved outlook on her future.
As someone who doesn’t like coffee, when it was suggested to me that I enrol in the Cafe Operations course, I really believed it wouldn’t be worth my time. I was so wrong. Taking part in the course has been an incredible six-week experience, filled with memories that I will cherish for a lifetime.
While I loved turning up every day to be a learning sponge and absorb as much knowledge as possible, I’m most grateful for the friendships I’ve made along the way. On day one, I was a shy girl with a bad case of social anxiety, who wasn’t sure if she would be able to speak to anyone.
The others in the course immediately made me feel comfortable enough to come out of my shell. They’re funny, they’re fierce and they’re beautiful.
I know that even though we have finished the course, they can always count on me as a friend to be there for them.
The Cafe Operations course was about more than just making a good cup of coffee. With the help of our wonderful trainers, we learned skills that are not only going to prove useful should we pursue careers in hospitality, but also useful wherever we go in life.
Within the first few weeks of the course, I was already bothering my family by paying close attention to how coffee was made in cafés, picking up on things the baristas were doing wrong and deciding whether we should continue going there. Imagine that – someone who dislikes coffee deciding they’re a coffee connoisseur!
Even though I still struggle with my frothing technique, I’m so appreciative of everything I’ve learned and look forward to taking advantage of these new skills I’ve acquired.
To find out more about the full range of courses offered by Jesuit Community College, call 9415 8700 or visit www.jesuitcommunitycollege.org.au
