Our Employability Programme, Wybourn Works, has continued to go from strength to strength in recent months. The project, which has made use of £200,000 of funding from the DWP and Learning and Work Institute’s ‘Jobs Plus’ programme, has taken a holistic approach to raising aspirations in the community and opening doors to new avenues of employment.
This approach was focused on listening to members of the community and meeting their needs, and after speaking with customers who had signed up to the programme to find work and upskill, it became apparent that many were interested in training to be a barista.
Rising to the task, our Employability Coach, Joanne Miller, made connections with the Sheffield-based organisation, Caféology, who were open to supporting Wybourn Works through providing access to their barista training course.
A mixture of colleagues working on the programme and six customers attended the barista training course, which opened their eyes to the world of coffee. Attendees learned everything from the basics of espresso extraction to the intricacies of latte art, and were given the A-Z on the variety of coffee beans, and how different brewing methods can affect the flavour profile. The overall experience was enriching for colleagues and customers alike, who also got to learn the history of coffee, where the organisation got their coffee from, and they also took a tour of their roastery.
Joanne Miller commented on the day:
The trainer was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate. Sharing tips and tricks that only a seasoned barista would know. By the end of the training we all felt confident in the use of a barista machine and more confident in the skills we had learnt.
Stuart Broomhead, National Account Manager at Caféology, commented:
Mastering milk foaming, espresso extraction, coffee production, and latte art is the perfect foundation for any aspiring barista. These essential skills not only elevate the coffee experience but also empower individuals to create high-quality beverages while building a strong, professional career in the coffee industry.
“It was a privilege to Support Jo and the group from Great Places; the group were wonderfully engaging and full of interest. We love to work with and support groups like this and to give back to our community a little more. Arranging the training with Great Places was very easy and I hope the group had as much fun as I did!
And this training has already seen results. One customer who attended has since secured a role at a local Costa Coffee branch, and three others have expressed a wish to either work in coffee shops or start their own businesses, and are working with Jo towards this goal.
Following this training, some of the budget is being used to purchase a special Wybourn Works barista machine and labelled coffee beans, which will be made from the roastery at Caféology. This will enable trained colleagues and customers to continue to practice their barista skills at the Pat Midgley Community Hub, during future plans for pop-up cafes in the centre.
Further training sessions will also be continued by Kelsey Smith from our Evolvere Training Academy, who will be coming to Sheffield to deliver these alongside selected individuals from other groups that use the Pat Midgley Community Centre. They will also train our Wybourn Works team Jo and Lydia in the training standards so that they can roll out training independently in future.
