SCA Coffee Skills Program

Introduction to Coffee provides new coffee professionals and consumers with a general overview of the specialty coffee value chain and introduces key concepts in history, cultivation, processing, roasting, sensory assessment, and preparation. Participants will engage in a variety of tasting exercises to deepen their understanding of how decisions made along the value chain impact the final cup.

The Barista Skills Foundation course focuses on the key skills required to set a grinder, make espresso and foam, and texture milk for cappuccinos. This course allows one to gain an introductory understanding of the coffee itself and set a foundation from which to build practical skills for milk
technique and latte art, while implementing health and safety practices and customer service.

The Barista Skills Intermediate course builds on the concepts and skills introduced in the Foundation course. It is ideal for someone who has barista skills experience and wants to explore how to improve coffee quality and prepare for more complex job functions found in the barista profession. Through this interactive course, learners will gain a deeper understanding of the coffee itself, specifically the impact of a coffee’s variety, origins and processing methods on flavor; the parameters of coffee quantity, grind texture, water quality and shot time and their interaction when dialling in a brew recipe; drink construction and taste differences; workflow management and efficiency, sensory aspects of the espresso extraction; milk handling and techniques as well as latte art. In addition to coffee preparation, this course also covers key concepts regarding health and safety, customer service and basic business practices.

The Barista Skills Professional course is designed to test advanced skills and detailed knowledge of the science behind processes used by a professional barista (for example, a barista with 12 months or more of work experience). Successful candidates will have explored and demonstrated the advanced skills typically expected of a head barista. In particular, participants will learn a sophisticated tasting methodology and descriptive explanation of coffee flavors; gain a detailed understanding of drink ingredients and the techniques available to maximize the quality of the drinks made, understand how to manage the skills of others to produce quality drinks, demonstrate an understanding of how to develop brew recipes and a systematic method of structuring beverage menus, and finally be able to consistently apply the highest standard of latte art and milk steaming techniques. A written exam tests professional course knowledge while a practical exam tests the skills described above based on different working activities carried out during the course.

The Brewing Foundation course introduces the learner to the different methods of brewing coffee. The learner will receive theoretical and practical hands-on instruction for a range of devices including automatic and manual gravity brewers, as well as other commonly used brewers within their local culture. Learners will also explore how to produce a tasty brew based on an understanding of the essential brewing elements and an analysis of their brew results.