Italy-based espresso machine manufacturer Nuova Simonelli has concluded the first edition of its Youth Academy, providing SCA training to eight baristas.
FROM STAFF REPORTS
Photos courtesy of Nuova Simonelli
Earlier this year, Simonelli Group—the company behind the espresso machine brands Nuova Simonelli and Victoria Arduino—announced the Simonelli Youth Academy, a new initiative providing full-immersion barista training to young baristas. Eight baristas earned scholarships to take part in the academy’s first incarnation, and last week, they completed their training.
The courses, which took place at the Simonelli Group classrooms and laboratories in Belforte del Chienti, Italy, provided participating baristas with education from the Coffee Skills Program of the Specialty Coffee Association. The baristas took part in sessions in the spring and summer covering green coffee, roasting, filter coffee, and the Intermediate Level of SCA’s barista training; last week’s third and final course gave attendees SCA Professional Level barista training.
The eight participating baristas—who are between the ages of 18 and 30 and based in Italy—received the training free of charge. They earned the opportunity by applying for scholarships earlier this year, in which they submitted 60-second videos explaining their passion for coffee and why they deserved to be chosen for the honor. Simonelli Group then narrowed down the applicants to the final eight.
Maurizio Giuli, Nuova Simonelli’s director of marketing and communications, says the company decided to launch the Youth Academy to support the next generation of coffee professionals. “The young generation has so much enthusiasm and represents so much potential for the coffee community,” he says. “With the Simonelli Youth Academy, we hope to provide them with the experience and specific know-how they need to transform their positive energy into a professional barista career with added value for the end consumer.”
Dario Ciarlantini, coordinator and teacher at the Simonelli Youth Academy, says the eight young scholarship winners have been eager students in the courses. “All of them have been strongly motivated to improve their knowledge and their willingness to take on the profession at the highest levels,” he says.
Maurizio adds that with the new skills acquired at the Simonelli Youth Academy, the young baristas will be better equipped for their coffee careers. “These baristas have now been trained by some of the best trainers in the field,” he says. “We believe they will be an important resource for all the coffee community as they start their careers in the coffee business. We will definitely be seeing these baristas in the coffee scene.”
With the debut Simonelli Youth Academy now in the books, Simonelli Group plans to bring back the educational offerings for 2019, and will announce information about scholarship applications in the future.
