How will You Choose a Perfect Bartending School?
What employers look for in people when they want to hire bartenders is great knowledge of drinks, high people skills and actual experience in mixology, i.e. the art of blending cocktails. Qualities required for bartending are usually obtained through on-the-job work in restaurants and bars, like work of a bar helper. But the surefire way to start the job successfully is to complete a good bartending school program or a bar management program to move into a management position.
How to Choose a Bartending School and Training Program?
Courses and programs in bartending as well as bar management should comply with many state and local rules and regulations. You can find these programs by searching for bartending schools in your area. Here I would like to share with you an excellent resource of finding bartending schools in Canada. This is Bartendertraining.ca which is a guide to bartender training schools throughout Canada with complete descriptions as well as contact information so that you can review the schools and their programs. This web portal is aimed at providing a great visibility for bartender programs across Vancouver and Toronto. They provide reviews of and advice about bartending schools in Canada and the USA for people wishing to enter this industry. On their website you will find articles written by those who have a great experience in the hospitality industry. You can take help of such a knowledgeable site to find your perfect bartending school.
Aspiring bartenders require training that is intensive, authentic and practical. Many schools offer mock bar or lounge for bartender training. Training new students with bartenders holding board experience serving in various sorts of establishments is a strong asset for a bartending school, particularly if the ratio of student to teacher is maintained low for personalized attention. As bartending schools may train students to mix more than 200 drinks within just some weeks, the accessibility to a refresher course at certain schools is beneficial.
State and Local Regulations
Bartending schools should assist their students to comply with state or local regulations that can affect sale and service of alcohol. For example, several states need bartenders to do a short alcohol awareness training course. Alcohol awareness training teaches sellers as well as servers how to help avoid overly drinking, drunk driving and underage drinking. Providing state-approved programs with this type of training is an indicator of a high quality school.
Job Placement
Another essential factor you should consider is the job placement assistance provided by the school. While most schools claim of a guaranteed job placement for their graduate students, you should ask for the contact information of actually placed graduates to check how their course helped them after landing in the job.
Accreditation
You may want to enter a school that has obtained accreditation from an authorized institution like the Accreditation Council for Continuing Education in the USA. Also the school may be associated to the organizations like the American Bartending Association, Better Business Bureau or United States Bartenders Guild.
Courses and Programs in Bartending and Bar Management – an Overview
Certificate Programs in Bartending: Certificate courses in bartending are usually 1 to 3 weeks long. They generally provide prospective bartenders training on full bars, so as to replicate the actual situations on the job. Certain schools provide specialized programs in topics like popular wines and beers. Students gain training on the following topics:
- Mixing drinks
- Managing cash registers
- Bar management
- Marketing skills
- Beer kegs
Bar Management Courses: You can also opt for courses that will train you to gain a supervisor’s job or manage you own bar. These courses train you in sales, human resource management and customer service through degree programs in food and drinks management or similar topics. Some schools also provide short-term courses in bar management, that usually last for 12 weeks. Students who complete these courses can use their bar management knowledge in various establishments, like hotels, sports stadiums and restaurants. Subjects covered under these classes should include:
- Beverage management
- Brewing art
- Bar operations
- Mixology management
- Alcohol distribution
Brew House Supervisors: There is also an excellent option to choose and it is brew house supervisor. This position needs only a little formal education. Their duty is to manage various teams of bartending and food service employees. Some of the supervisors also help in creating the food menu for the brew house, while others concentrate on the onsite promotion of the brewed alcohol.
Flexibility of Bartending Occupation
The occupation of bartender is flexible as you can do it as a part-time work or you can also choose it as a long-term dream career.
Employment Options and Salaries
Restaurants, hotels, stand-alone bars and caterers are your potential employers. It’s an estimate of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that jobs of bartending are going to increase by 12% during the period of 2012 to 2022. As observed up to May 2014, the yearly median payment of bartenders was $ 19,050; however, beyond their base payments they also earn a sizeable but unquantifiable amount in the form of tips.
Popular Job Options
Experienced persons can get jobs in various establishments like outdoor bars and clubs. There is a large scope for bartenders in restaurants, but they also may work in other places serving alcohol like hotels, resorts, bars and pubs, catered events and nightclubs.
The specialty of a bartender’s job is s/he can show off their qualities and skills in a visual way in real time, unlike chefs who are hidden in a kitchen. This is not all; bartenders also get the chance to interact with clients and exponentially increase their tips, and prove that this is just the profitable career path for the right person. However, just like a chef, you need to have a diploma or certification from a school for a high-paying job rather than an entry level job. Here the above-mentioned BartendingTraining.ca can come to your help not only by putting out a list of bartending programs in Toronto and Vancouver or anywhere in the USA and Canada, but also reviewing them and giving a good breakdown of what they are offering. (Images in this article are their courtesy.)Visit their Twitter page.
So, take help of such an extremely useful portal like BartendingTraining.ca and choose just the right bartending school for you that will help you in achieving a dazzling career.
