Coffee: It's a career now.

We provide training & support for people who want satisfying jobs in specialty coffee – and who might not normally get a chance.

SCROLL DOWN

Coffee: It's a career now.

We provide training & support for people who want satisfying jobs in specialty coffee – and who might not normally get a chance.

A different APPROACH to hiring & to coffee

In Brighton and the Southeast we have pioneered industry-leading solutions for developing talent and reducing turnover, in partnership with some of the finest in specialty coffee. All our courses use coffees roasted by our sister project, Skylark, the only 100% non-profit, 100% transparent specialty coffee brand in the world.

how it works

We offer different pathways for people to enter speciality coffee, regardless of background. Then, we can match trainees with employers, providing mentorship and business advice along the way.

Learn More

how it works

We offer different pathways for people to enter speciality coffee, regardless of background. Then, we can match trainees with employers, providing mentorship and business advice along the way.

Learn More

specialty coffee: a booming sector with a need for talent

Excellent baristas can be hard to come by — and keeping them can be even harder. Pro Baristas is one of the biggest barista schools in the country, helping the booming speciality coffee sector hire well-rounded talent while cutting turnover and recruitment costs.

We’re also radically inclusive, opening pathways for unemployed people in a growing field with as much support and time as they might need. We can work with almost anyone, while maintaining the highest coffee standards around.

In the drive to make coffee more delicious, speciality coffee shops face both a skills gap and a turnover problem. Training is expensive, employees move on quickly and social investment is often an afterthought.

Meanwhile, an alarming number of unemployed people fall further behind, without the leverage to wedge their way into a satisfying occupation — though many are keen to work in coffee.

Pro Baristas pioneered the UK’s first year-long apprenticeship in coffee and we offer a range of AQA & SCA-certified courses and bespoke, long-term options for people lacking confidence and support. No one else can offer access to coffee and community to so many people — regardless of age, disability, background or identity.

Recent graduates are managing coffee shops, training staff, roasting coffee and launching businesses throughout the speciality industry. Others find coffee a useful tool for moving on in other ways, or into other careers. That’s brilliant, too.

During lockdown we launched our own Florence Road Cafe where students can work to bridge the gap between our courses and their first coffee jobs. We also consult for businesses who want to grow with quality, sustainability and a social conscience.

Pro Baristas' in-house curriculum covers both industry-leading coffee certificates and a holistic approach to employability. We have a way of boosting and measuring “soft skills” through our Interdependency Framework, and can respond in real time to individual needs and abilities.

We also train on the latest tech, including, Decent, Nuova Simonelli and La Marzocco espresso machines and temperature-controlled Mythos One and Mythos Two grinders. We have experience in coffee publishing, barista competitions, green coffee sourcing and even coffee waste reduction.

Above all, Pro Baristas cultivates community and creativity for people at different stages of life looking to find satisfying work and durable relationships.

testimonials

Andrew TolleyCo-Founder of Taylor St. Baristas — **Andrew Tolley**
Co-Founder of Taylor St. Baristas

“Finding the right people for your speciality coffee business is hard. Finding the right people with relevant skills is nigh on impossible. Pro Baristas is changing this. It develops the hard and soft skills that speciality focused coffee businesses need from their people, so that they can deliver the service and quality of coffee that customers want.”

“My experience at Pro Baristas was life-changing. Pro-Baristas offered me the support and opportunities which allowed me to grow and develop from the person I was in 2019 to the person I am today.”

**Finley Barr**
Supported Journey Programme Graduate

“I sincerely feel that without access to Pro Baristas’ expertise, equipment & encouragement I would not have gained the skills and knowledge required for my new job. The atmosphere Pro Bristas have fostered at the drop-in sessions is a unique, fun, friendly learning environment and is something I genuinely look forward to every week.”

“Pro Baristas has given me, and many others, opportunities to explore and learn all about coffee otherwise wouldn’t be easily accessible. They’re a hidden gem! They’ve helped me gain experiences necessary to work within the industry. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to do what I could now.”