Youngsters training to become professional barista expert coffee makers spilt the beans when the Mayor of Tower Hamlets dropped into their “school for baristas”.
They poured a cup for John Biggs when he arrived at the Well Grounded training academy at Poplar’s Spotlight creative youth space.
The academy tackles unemployment by training young people to work as professional baristas and introducing them to 40 employers across London, creating “the next wave of talent” for the coffee industry.
The Mayor was shown by Well Grounded’s founder Eve Wagg how training for the coffee industry was helping create jobs.
He also met three graduates of the programme now working in the industry.
Shahena Khan has been promoted to head barista at 55 East coffee house.
Daniella Lalgie is now a barista at Hoagey Bears café at the centre, hoping to own her own café one day.
Karwan Aminy enjoys his daily walk from Limehouse to Old Street for his job at Ozone Coffee Roasters.
The academy based at Poplar Housing and Regeneration organisation’s Spotlight centre has got 100 people through its training and employment programme, accredited by the Specialty Coffee Association, with eight-out-of-10 trainees becoming baristas.
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