Coffee lovers’ training in the Southern Forest

Coffee enthusiasts will now be able to complete barista training in the region.

The Pemberton Community Resource Centre, in partnership with Lost Lakes Wines, launched The Coffee Mill last month in a bid to increase training opportunities, improve hospitality skills and encourage tourist groups to take part.

The Coffee Mill will provide comprehensive barista training, creating pathways to employment for people in the region, Pemberton CRC manager Sarah-Jayne Griffiths said.

“We see this as something that can benefit different markets, one is local employment but we’re also really excited about the potential for tourism,” she said.

“So how we can bring more people to the the area for a different kind of experience and also offer backpackers who don’t wish to work on farms the training to work in hospitality too.”

The course will be delivered in English, Mandarin and Taiwanese, making it WA’s first regionally-based Asian language barista course.

Lost Lakes Owner Ash Lewkowski said so far the course had received “really positive feedback.”

“We’re getting lots of different people come to the course such as tourist groups, coffee shop owners, locals and kids just finished school,” he said.

For more information visit www.thecoffeemillbaristaschool.com.