What
is a Centre?
For most of us a ‘centre’ would
be our local college, although any institution may become a centre
as long as they can fulfil a number of criteria assessed by a City & Guild
Verifier. The Verifier’s job is to make sure that anywhere
that wants to run the course has the means to do so from the equipment
required and the teaching skills, through to the administration
requirements and quality assurance (and there are some financial
implications as well!). Be it a college or a training
institution, everyone wanting to run the course has to prove they
have the means to do it. So far over 50 colleges have
shown interest in running the course. All will have
to prove their suitability.
The BSA has been working to offer the course as well. From
late Autumn, the BSA will be offering the VRQ via Ben TOWNSEND
and myself, at London School of Coffee and at the Coffee Community
in Huddersfield. As well as this, it will be offering support to
other centres wanting to run the course by running specific training
to those who want to go on and teach it themselves. Finally,
the BSA has developed a team of Barista Trainers who have been
trained in all areas of the VRQ so that they can offer support,
and ensure the quality of information, being offered by the colleges.
For more information on the BSA Trainers Course, Itinerary, Course
Schedule & Booking Form click
here
For more information on Level 2 City & Guilds VRQ in Barista
Skills, Course Schedule & Booking Form click
here
Want
to offer City & Guilds Barista Skills Training?
To do so you can become a City & Guilds Centre in your own
right or use the Beverage Service Association as your Centre and
be a satellite Centre which is easier and cheaper.
Detailed below is some further information on becoming a Centre
and on using the BSA as the Centre and becoming a satellite Centre
Background
The Beverage Service Association and City & Guilds have worked
together to make this Qualification available to all those in or hoping
to join the Beverage and Hospitality industry. The BSA is the Trade
Association for the Beverage industry and represents equipment suppliers,
product suppliers, distributors and retail outlets covering the full
range of non alcoholic drinks. City & Guilds is the most respected
and widely known qualification awarding body in the UK for vocational
skills and as such has very strict criteria for those who offer and
assess the course.
If you want to offer the course
It is only City & Guilds approved Centres who can offer the course
and in order to be approved a Centre must meet the specific criteria
laid down. Companies, commercial training organisations and colleges
can be approved as Centres. For more details on ‘becoming a Centre’ go
to city-and-guilds.co.uk and select UK or contact one of their nine
regional offices. You will be visited by a Quality Systems Consultant,
asked to complete and return forms, and then an External Verifier will
visit.
Approval process and costs
The cost for vetting a Centre is approximately £1500. Centres
must meet a set of quality criteria including- provision of adequate
resources, both physical and human - have clear management information
systems – have effective assessment and quality assurance procedures
including candidate support and reliable recording systems. Full information
is downloadable on the City & Guilds website ‘Providing
City & Guilds qualifications – a guide to centre and qualification
approval’
Once approved as a Centre then an application must be made to offer
the particular qualification – in this case 7102-2 Barista Skills.
The cost for this application is £200+ and there will be another
visit from a Verifier. The emphasis here is on physical resources (primarily
the equipment on which the candidates are trained) and Centre staff
( those teaching the qualification and particularly carrying out the
Assessment of candidates)
Physical Resources
Candidates must have access to a range of equipment including a traditional
espresso machine, grinder, filter machine, source of boiling water,
juicer and barista kit to practise drinks production in their own time.
There is also a supplementary list of additional desirable equipment
but the above is mandatory. The equipment must meet industrial standards
and be capable of being used under normal working conditions.
Centre Staff Assessors, tutors and quality assurance
staff should have the following skills and experience- Essential (a)
experience of making espresso-based drinks to a commercial standard
(b)experience with other beverages ( filter coffee, experience of the
full range of tea, chocolate, juice, smoothies and associated equipment.
(c) formal Barista training at or above the level expected of the qualification
(d) understanding of problem solving related to barista drinks production
(eg poor crema on espresso; poor milk texture o cappuccino and cafe
latte; inappropriate vessel and accompaniments used; too weak, over
boiled, layers , incorrect production time) (d) experience of one to
one and group training techniques.
Becoming a Trainer
Experienced Trainers can attend the BSA ‘Train the Trainers’ course
to cover the above provided they have access to a traditional espresso
machine and have time to practice certain skills.
Courses at established colleges
Colleges who are offering City & Guilds qualification are already
approved Centres but must be verified for this particular course. Verifiers
for the Barista Skills qualification have been given initial training
by the BSA.
It is unlikely that many of the colleges will have staff who are fully
competent to run the course and the BSA is running a series of Train
the Trainers courses to ensure the Trainers have the full set of skills
and knowledge to cover the content. Those successfully completing this
programme will be approved by the BSA and their names posted on the
BSA website.
BSA as a Centre (Members as satellite centres)
The BSA is approved as a Centre and can approve satellite locations
to provide this qualification. This service is available to Members
who can satisfy the criteria above in terms of Physical resources and
Teaching staff. This avoids the need for members to be approved individually
as a Centre as the BSA will provide the Centre services to the member
including quality audits and internal verification. If any member is
interested in providing the qualification then phone Jim Devlin at
the BSA office.
