Baristas prepare and serve coffee and coffee-based drinks, both hot and cold, to customers. They can work in a variety of environments, including cafés, coffee shops, restaurants, food trucks, hotels, bars, and even pop-up locations.
If you’re knowledgeable and passionate about all things coffee and want a job that’s fast-paced and varied, this could be the perfect role for you.
About you:
- Fantastic communicator
- Personable and approachable
- Hard working and dedicated
- Good customer service skills
- Flexible and adaptable
- Willing to work on your feet
- Multitasking pro
- Clean and tidy
The job:
- Understanding coffee making techniques
- Operating coffee machines and equipment
- Selecting and grinding beans
- Preparing a variety of coffees and drinks
- Serving drinks to customers
- Keeping equipment and work areas clean
- Collecting payment and using cash registers
- Selling and preparing snacks and other foods
Lifestyle Impact: Low
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- Part Time opportunities: Very high – a whopping 69% of Baristas work part-time (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au).
- Average hours for full-time workers: 42 hours a week, which is average (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au).
- Baristas’ salary (average) $55,000* per year (source: seek.com.au). *Salaries vary depending on your skills and experience.
- Future career growth: Moderate (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au).
- You will be doing most of your indoors, in cafés, restaurants, and other dining establishments.
- Hospitality workers are generally expected to work on weekends and holidays, and you might also need to work early mornings or even late at night.
Baristas are most in demand in these locations:
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This is a large occupation, with around 37,200 people working as Baristas in Australia in 2021 (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au). There is a fairly even spread of jobs between metropolitan and regional areas, with highest demand in capital cities. Most Baristas work in the Accommodation and Food Services industry.
How to become a Barista
Formal qualifications aren’t necessary to work as a Barista, but there are short courses you can take to boost your skills.
Step 1 – Complete Year 10 with a focus on English and Maths.
Step 2 – Complete a short course to learn coffee-making basics, or find an employer who will give you on-the-job training.
Step 3 – If you need or want to serve food, you might need to undertake a food handling safety course.
Step 4 – Consider moving into supervisory or management roles.
Step 5 – With lots of experience and knowledge, you might even like to start your own business.
Find out more here –
https://australianspecialtycoffee.com.au/
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Bartender
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Waiter
Concierge
Event Planner
Usher
Retail Assistant
Find out more about alternative careers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What do Baristas do?
Baristas are responsible for preparing and serving a variety of delicious coffee drinks.
Which industries employ Baristas?
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Baristas are mostly employed in the Accommodation and Food Services industry.
What options are there for career progression?
You will start out making basic drinks, before expanding your skills to become a coffee expert. You could supervise and train other junior Baristas, become the manager of a café or restaurant, or even start your own business.
Do I need to go to university to become a Barista?
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No, there are no formal qualifications necessary to become a Barista. But there are short courses you can take to boost your skills.
Where do Baristas work?
Baristas work anywhere coffee is served – mainly in cafés, coffee houses, and restaurants, but even places such as bars, hotels, travelling in a truck or van, or pop-up locations at events and festivals.
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What are 3 things I can do right now to help me become a Barista?
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If you’re in high school and you’d like to find out if a career as a Barista is right for you, here’s a few things you could do right now:
- Try to find casual work in a café where you can start learning how to make coffee, or take a short course to start building important skills. Make coffee for your friends and family and see what they think.
- If you can’t find a job, find work experience at a café or restaurant instead. This will help you get an insight into the industry, and can help you start building important contacts for the future.
- Talk to a Barista to see what a day in their life is like. If you don’t know anyone, see if you can watch videos or documentaries about a career as a Barista.
