In recent years, Singapore has witnessed a surge in demand for coffee, driven by an evolving café culture and a growing appreciation for artisanal brews. This heightened interest in coffee is not merely about the beverage itself but also about the experience and lifestyle it represents.
The rise of specialty coffee shops, which focus on high-quality beans and innovative brewing techniques, has captivated a diverse clientele. As more Singaporeans embrace the coffee culture, the role of the barista has become pivotal.
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Certificates
In Singapore, becoming a barista does not require formal certification. Most cafes and restaurants will provide some kind of in-house training. However, given that the skills require some level of understanding, practice and mastery, having a certificate will most certainly boost the chances of getting the job, or may even allow you to negotiate for a higher salary.
Some certificates are more widely recognised, such as the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Certification as well as the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) certifications. Many of these certificates can be funded by SkillsFuture credits.
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Job Scope
Broadly speaking, the job scope of the barista is to brew coffee. However, many cafes may require you to assume other duties such as being a cashier, clearing tables, and preparing pastries, aside from just brewing coffee. On a full-time basis, most cafes seem to be offering a salary of $2,800 – $3,300 for full-time staff, and $11 – $15 per hour for part-time staff.
For franchise outlets, the salary tends to be on the low end, between $1,800 – $2,500 per month. However, these outlets typically do not require certification.
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Career Progression
Career progression is mixed for Baristas, since it depends on the café or outlet. There is the possibility of being promoted to being a restaurant manager or head barista. In general, you will oversee rostering baristas and waitstaff and managing their training.
If the company specialises in serving specialty coffee, it will most definitely be beneficial for you to have some barista certification, if not at least be very proficient in brewing specialty coffee. This will most certainly come in handy if you need to train or evaluate staff, and it is also useful if you are unable to roster someone on the schedule, that way in the worst-case scenario you are able to handle the shift.
There are also other benefits that the different certificates bring, such as having the knowledge to do coffee roasting, or sourcing for specialty beans, or even maintaining the expensive espresso machines. While the average barista will not benefit much from this knowledge, a restaurant manager might be able to use these skills to help improve service quality or efficiency.
While coffee brewing skills are beneficial/important, a Café Manager or Head Barista is probably more important for administrative and customer service skills. A Café Manager or Head Barista could earn between $3,000 – $4,500.
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Related Useful Skills
Other related useful skills that can help with career progression in this industry include bartending, customer service skills, or other restaurant operations management skills. Since there are not many formal courses teaching these skills, they are mostly acquired through work experience. However, with sufficient experience, a barista can possibly get a job at a restaurant, especially one which serves specialty coffee.
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