Bartending is more than just pouring drinks and flirting with customers. It is a highly skilled vocational trade that requires professional certification and some degree of training. Many bartending schools exist to provide this. What should you look for when seeking a bartending school?
The first thing you need to do is make sure you only look for bartending schools that are properly licensed and have the proper credentials. A reputable school can provide this information to you, and will not put pressure on you to sign up for a course. They will have affliliations with hospitality industry organizations. Treat your search for a bartending school like you would treat choosing a college or university. Visit the establishment, meet with the staff, ask to see the schedule of their training course and inquire about what other kinds of services they can provide. Remember, serving alcohol professionally carries legal risks and obligations, so it is crucial that you train through a reputable program.
The most important task of a bartending school is to teach students how to make basic and more advanced drinks and cocktails, what is known as the fine art of mixology. Students must learn proper form and techniques, as well as speed and efficiency—not unlike culinary training. A proper bartending school will be set up like a real bar, to to give as close an approximation as possible to an actual working bar environment. check out the facilities. Is the classroom and bar area clean? Do they have the appropriate layout to replicate a real bar? There should be a proper bar sink, an ice machine, soda dispensers, blenders. It should be stocked with a wide range of glassware that would be used in all different types of bars and clubs.
Are the instructors professional, knowledgable, friendly and helpful? Does the school have proper bartending textbooks? What do they offer students other than the requisite training in drink-making? Most schools will provide students training in the way the hospitality industry operates, and the different areas you can enter (such as hotels, resorts and cruise ships). If someone is serious about the hospitality industry they may be interested in restaurant management and learning how to run a small business. A good school can provide training in this. Ask the staff what other opportunities they provide, such as financial assistance packages. Does the school have a job placement program? A proper school should be able to make your job search process go a lot more smoothly.
Whether you are new to the hospitality industry or are already working in the industry, a quality bartending school can be of value to you as you seek to acquire new skills or build on existing ones. Hospitality is an exciting industry with the possiblility to not only make a lot of money, but to move forward and possibly become a manager or even an owner. Finding the best bartending school will make you a better-equipped, more marketable employee.
