Would you like to impact others’ lives through a customer-oriented role positively? If yes, you want to know how to become a Barista. It is more viable than you might guess! According to a 2021 survey, over 470 thousand baristas are employed in the US, about 40% of whose customers are regular millennial coffee lovers.

This data shows the need for a Barista who serves the perfect cup of coffee. Furthermore, Baristas who try to go out of their way to skill themselves aside from the job training stand out for employers. Hence, Baristas can go the extra mile by pursuing a Basic Barista Course. Let us explain the five essential skills you’ll learn in a Basic Barista Course.

Table of Contents

1. What (or Who) is a Barista?
2. Eligibility to become a Barista
3. Five essential skills to become a Barista
4. Conclusion

What (or Who) is a Barista?

A Barista is a designation given to a professional trained in preparing coffee or who knows how to operate an Espresso machine. The term has roots in Italy since 1961. It labels a male or female ‘bartender’ who serves hot beverages like espresso, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and consumables.

The duties of a Barista involve high-level skills used in creating artistic presentations of intricately made coffee beverages. Another crucial skill is multi-tasking, where the Barista would be expected to handle a pool of activities smoothly. Hence, training your soft and hard skills will be an elementary need for being a successful Barista.

Eligibility to become a Barista

The first criteria to become a Barista, quite a no-brainer, is to have a keen interest and a drive for coffee along with basic knowledge of steaming milk and making espresso. You can also choose the path of learning from an experienced Barista or take a certification course to acquire improved know-how for becoming a Barista.

It means there is no textbook path to entering the industry as a Barista. This flexibility in initiating your career depends on your street-smartness, networking skills and, most notably, the fire to learn.

Five essential skills to become a Barista

Overall, there are specific skills a person is expected to possess before becoming a Barista, and additional skills can be learned on the job. The skills necessary beforehand are mainly soft skills, including interpersonal communication, self-reliance and an essential capability to work under pressure. Dealing with criticism is another fundamental aspect of a Barista, adding to which the critique or customer must be handled calmly and composedly.

Five essential skills to become a Barista

1. Gain an understanding of various coffee drinks: Use the internet to your best advantage and research the variety of drinks and brewing methods.

2. Upskill yourself with training courses: Leverage company training to leverage your skills.

3. Request for feedback: A great way to continually assess your skills is to ask for feedback from your team and customers.

4. Practice taking orders from customers: Improve your attention skills with customer orders by practising with family and friends and taking notes.

5. Be a great team member: Aid your team to ensure customer satisfaction and maintain a vibrant work atmosphere.

Conclusion

Becoming a Barista is a very sought-after title; however, the journey can be daunting. Each will have a timeline depending on your persistence to land your title and willingness to become a professional with coffee.