Bartending schools train food
service professionals for a career in bartending. Bartenders are
involved in the areas of mixology, customer service, and alcohol
awareness. Students must comply with national
and local standards, while maintaining the code of conduct for
the establishment they work for. Bartenders work with customers
directly, and must learn presentation skills, excel at customer
service, and learn how to work in a fast-paced hospitality
environment.
Job Description and Responsibilities of Bartending School Graduates
Graduates
are expected to:
-
Provide exceptional customer
service
-
Learn the basics of mixology,
the art of mixing drinks.
-
Become skilled in profit
pouring
-
Have a comprehensive
understanding of wine, liquor, and beer products
-
Ensure they are maintaining
legal responsibilities and are compliant with guidelines
-
Educate and make
recommendations to customers and clients
-
Keep the bar area clean
-
Enforce local and state
drinking laws
-
Serve food to people seated
in the bar area
-
Learn how to monitor
inventory and supplies
Career Options After Bartender School
Students who attend bartender schools can choose to work in:
Bartending School Training & Certification
Bartending schools can provide
both basic and comprehensive training for prospective bartenders. Students will be involved with drink preparation and service styles, and
learn about sales, product knowledge, and customer service. Bar etiquette is an
important part of training, and flair bartending is the professional level that
falls into the performance bartending category.
Bartenders must learn how to
work under pressure, be efficient, and enjoy shift work. A bartending school can
offer experienced instructors who demonstrate and teach students with hands-on
classes. This may take place in a bar setting, and gives
students a chance to observe and learn from direct experience.
Every state has different
licensing laws for alcohol service, and bartenders must be between the ages of
18 to 21 years old. Aspiring bartenders must complete a formal training program
and obtain certification. These courses vary by state, but most are at least 40
hours and longer programs can offer job placement assistance. Many employers
look for completion of the Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education and
Training Program (BASSETT). This program can help a bartender become certified
easily. Some establishments require certification through the Responsible
Alcohol Management Program (RAMP). Each state's liquor control board sets the
conditions for permits and certification requirements at each establishment.
Bartending School Accreditation
The Professional Bartending
Schools of America program accredits many schools in over 38 states.
In addition, the regional state associations are responsible for accreditation
of other bartender schools around the country. Accreditation is
also available through the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and
Institutional Education; the Commission on Accreditation of Hospitality
Management Programs; and the Accreditation Commission for Programs in
Hospitality Administration.
Bartending School Graduates Earning Potential and
Employment Prospects
Bartending school can help increase the minimum starting wage of
the average bartender. Continuing education in
can also increase the options for a long-term career.
The food and beverage industry is an attractive and thriving segment of the
economy, and job opportunities are expected to increase faster than average
through 2014. Bartenders made a median hourly wage of $7.42 (including tips) in
2004. Related occupations include:
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