SQA Barista qualification

[LizzieMacQueen]

Has anyone seen this? Thought it must be a joke at first. I'm all for young folk getting the training/education they need to get the life they want to lead but is this really what the examination board, Scotland's National exam board, should be doing?

I'm prepared to be told I'm a snob but am interested to hear what you think of this?

Ridiculous on my opinion!

I know a couple of kid doing this alongside H/AH and I thought it was a good idea. Something practical and could be useful for some part time jobs.

Being a good, decent barista is actually a lot more than "making a coffee". There is a lot of skill and art involved in it. So yep totally being a snob.

Not everyone is going to be a Dr, lawyer, judge etc...... also don't you want someone who is decent to make your coffee while in your ivory tower?

I'm sure it is a good skill for young people to learn for future employment, but really how long does it take to learn the range of skills? Surely not a full school year?

I know people who've become pretty good on the coffee making in a couple of weeks

@OhhhhhhhhBiscuits 😁

Yeah. That's what i meant. Kids' futures lie in all directions; there are other schemes outside of the main exam board that teach life skills. I just don't see why SQA need to be involved.

It’s a way of accrediting you g people and giving them skills when they are usually working on projects like Princes Trust. It would be done alongside other work and not as a full time-table option. It would typically work alongside enterprise or employability.

One word: employability. It’s a short unit run alongside other qualifications and will entail work experience. Even budding lawyers need part time jobs you know!

Our school has this. We are type of school that kids don't excel in standard subjects. A lot have asn, 90% are living in levels of depravation, on FSM. It's a great idea to see some of the kids actually walk out of school with something to their name. Things like Prince's trust is a massive course choice in our school. So are things like enterprise.

Yes. I know. I'm not saying young people don't need all types of education but I was questioning whether SQA are the people to do this.

The SQA are the recognised qualification provider - employers and training providers understand and recognise the qualification. It’s about parity of esteem. The qualification at level 4 or 5 is worth as much as any other at 4 or 5 is what having the SQA involved says

Who else, other than sqa would run it? All the processes and systems are set up for schools to introduce new units in this way? It means a 16 year old can get the qualification rather than waiting to do it at college later on?
Some schools also run vocational units on e.g. hairdressing, hospitality, bakery… why is barista being run through sqa so surprising?

Because they're the sole qualifications body in Scotland. If they don't, no one will. Unlike England which has loads (Edexcel, City and Guilds, Pearson for BTEC et ).

It's a GCSE level qualification which feels about right in terms of level, and is 'worth' roughly half a GCSE.

2 of my 3 dc have done this and though both of them are now studying in higher education it helped them get jobs as students. Dc1 didn't but she learned in her bar job. Dc2 reckons it made him stand out for his bar/restaurant job. Dc3 has a spa job (studying beauty therapy) and has to use the fancy coffee machine for clients and also thinks it was a positive for getting her job.

Yes, they will go on to be professionals but loads of people either end up working in hospitality long term or do these jobs as students/in holidays. Any skill is worth it!

Wasn't offered at my DCs school. Is it only offered in the Jordanhill/East Ren/East Dunbartonshire as a filler to kids who already have their uni places in the bag.

DD who did SBucks barista work for a year said that at interview they were keener on work ethic, team working and personality as easy to teach the barista bit.

It's kind of like the Nat 5 Cake Craft which DD is doing in S6 for a bit of light relief along with a couple of advanced highers.

There is a new build high school near me which has its own cafe and is training kids as baristas, probably using this framework,

mobile.twitter.com/boclaircafe

Will make it easier for kids to get a part time job in S5/6 or at Uni if they have proof they can actually make a decent flat white.

My dd in S5 is doing this. It is pretty much a space filler as she is already doing 5 highers. She has mostly used it as a study period which her teacher is happy for her to do. She has a PT weekend job in a cafe but already had this before the course started. At the moment she is helping the first years in art during her batista periods as she wants to study art and guidance suggested this would be beneficial for her.

Sqa do loads of work place type practical qualifications. Not sure why they wouldn't be the people to do this.

Agree with others. Kids doing Hs / Adv H can fill space in their timetable with it. Useful for student part time job hunt I would have thought.
Let's face it, with the Covid period all but wiping out work experience, something to put on a CV/ application form aside from the usual list of exam results probably not a bad idea!