SCA Barista Skills: Foundation & Intermediate Combo

Grinder setup and adjustment
Espresso extraction and a basic recipe
Steaming and texturing milk
Simple latte art
Health, safety, and hygiene
Routine machine cleaning and maintenance
Basic customer service

The combo is built for people who want to work behind a bar properly, not just get by. It fits beginners with little or no experience, since it starts at Foundation. It also fits baristas already on the job who want to formalise what they know and fill in the gaps. Café owners and staff use it to set a shared standard across a team. It is a sensible starting point for anyone moving into specialty coffee.

Both levels of instruction, Foundation and Intermediate
Hands-on time on commercial equipment
Written and practical exams for each level
SCA certification for each level passed
Points toward the SCA Coffee Skills Diploma: 5 for Foundation, 10 for Intermediate
Coffee and milk for practice throughout

An SCA Learner Number, which is free to set up before the course
No formal prerequisites. Foundation is recommended before Intermediate and is included here, so prior experience is not assumed
Enough physical comfort to stand and work at the bar through the practical sessions
Written exams are sat in English