Tag: barista course

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A Day in the Life of a Bartender

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Prepping for Your Shift

The first thing a bartender does when they start their shift is prep. They make sure the bar is ready, and that any chores from the previous shift have all been completed. Preparation often includes tasks like restocking the bar, checking the equipment, and even refilling the ice bins. Finishing everything before customers start arriving is essential for things to run smoothly—a night could start off with a trickle, or a steady flow of customers coming in by the dozen, and no bartender wants to find they are short on stock right as a rush hits!

A Bartender’s Role During Peak Hours

Once customers start coming, a bartender needs to be ready and alert for a fast-paced, frenetic environment. A key skill that bartenders need to have is excellent attention to detail. This is because they need to keep track of everything that’s going on around them, to be able to determine which customers need their attention.

 

Bartenders need to be friendly, efficient and knowledgeable, and they need to look confident and comfortable behind the bar. Customers will stop trusting a bartender if they look like they don’t know what to do!

 

A bartender also needs to know how to handle varying situations while keeping a cool head on their shoulders. They might need to deal with persistent customers who are rude or intoxicated—or both! Only time and experience improves the ability to handle these tricky situations with confidence, and that’s why many people choose to attend barista courses for bartending to improve their skills. By investing in one of the excellent short courses Auckland has to offer for bartending and mixology, people can ensure they start with skill and confidence.

At the End of a Shift

The end of the night is just like the start—it’s time to clean up and re-stock. Cleaning includes jobs like mopping floors, wiping surfaces, and organising the fridge and liquor.

 

Shifts can go as late as 3-4am in the morning—it’s possible for a bartender to work only day hours, but it’s uncommon, as most rosters involve both day and night shifts.

Unwinding for the Night

After a long shift of being on your feet, it’s nice to unwind! Many bartenders unwind by spending time with their co-workers after work, or just relaxing at home however they prefer. Getting enough sleep is vital for bartenders as well—especially if they have a hectic night shift coming up the next day!

Perks of Bartending

A bartender’s life is always interesting, because no two nights of work are the same. Working as a bartender is a highly valuable and versatile line of work, and if you’re interested, visit the Crown Institute of Studies to learn more about how this kind of work experience can take you around the world!

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Five Amazing New Zealand Destinations for Your Study Break

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We know how hard our students work during the semester. So, by the time study break arrives, we all want to get out of town and relax on the beach. Well, not all of us. Some of us would prefer to put the pedal to the metal and take advantage of all of the adventure tourism New Zealand has to offer. New Zealand is absolutely full of great places to spend some time while you’re on break, but where is the best of the best? We go over five killer locations to spend a holiday!

Have a beach day (or two) in the Coromandel

The Coromandel peninsula is an otherworldly paradise full of white sand beaches, dramatic coastlines, native bush, and plenty of sun. Even better, it’s just a few hours from either Auckland, Hamilton, or Tauranga. So, where’s good?

Whangamata is one of the spiritual centres of New Zealand surfing and has great restaurants and bars. Just five minutes north from there, you’ll find Opoutere, a deserted, tree-lined beach which is a hidden gem. On the other side of the peninsula, the beautiful Pinnacles walk leaves from the Thames, and who could forget Cathedral Cove in Hahei—known worldwide since it was used as a filming location for the Chronicles of Narnia.

 

Wellington: A Capital experience

This one’s great for those doing a barista course, or anyone with a taste for culture and urbane living. While Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand, Wellington is known as the cultural capital. It has a strong coffee culture, and while you’re there, make sure you try out a few of the many cafes the city has to offer. The restaurant and bar scene is also thriving, and the nightlife is considered the best in the country.

However, it’s not to say that Wellington doesn’t have anything in the way of natural beauty to offer. Taking a drive around the scenic south coast reveals a rugged and windswept landscape that is utterly captivating. At Red Rocks, you can even see seals. Closer to town, the walk up Mt. Victoria is a must, providing stunning views of the city and surrounds that will make you fall in love with the place.

 

Go thrillseeking in Queenstown

New Zealand has an international reputation as a country to visit if you’re seeking thrills. Adrenaline junkies unite, because Queenstown has everything you could ever want. This is not an exhaustive list, but here you can go: bungy jumping, skydiving, jet boating, white water rafting, ziplining, and much more. Whether you’re after that one experience you’ll remember for your whole life, or you’re trying to fit in as many as you can in the time you have, you’re sure to leave with that adventure itch well scratched.

Of course, Queenstown is more than just adventure tourism. It’s nestled right in the Southern Alps, New Zealand’s biggest and most dramatic mountain range. That means it’s an international snow sports and mountain biking destination, depending on the season. Even if you have no bike or skis, a hike up some of the mountains will do the trick. Try the Ben Lomond climb, located right next to town.

 

A volcanic experience

One of the most unique and beautiful landscapes in New Zealand has to be the central volcanic plateau. Dominated by the three volcanoes Ruapehu, Tongariro, and Ngauruhoe, this twisted landscape was the filming location for Mordor in the Lord of the Rings for good reason. The Tongariro Crossing is New Zealand’s most famous hike and is a well-maintained trail suitable for anyone with a reasonable degree of fitness. Afterwards, relax in the natural hot springs in Tokaanu—some believe they have healing properties.

Just to the north of the mountains lies Lake Taupo, the largest in the country. The town of Taupo, on the north side of the lake, has accommodation, bars, restaurants, and everything else you could need on your getaway. While you’re there, consider checking out the mighty Huka Falls and the Craters of the Moon geothermal walkway for a lunar landscape of bubbling mud and geothermal vents.

 

Ready, willing, and Abel

Located just outside of Nelson is the Abel Tasman National Park, home to golden beaches and blue water that will make you feel like you’re in a dream. The park is most famous for the Abel Tasman track, one of New Zealand’s great walks. The coastal walkway takes between 3 to 5 days and is world-renowned for its dramatic coastal scenery and beaches.

Nearby are the towns of Takaka and Motueka. These places have an old-school hippie character, and many wandering travellers have blown in and stayed for years longer than they intended. Takaka is the gateway to Golden Bay, a true holiday destination of the finest kind. A shallow coastal area separated from the rest of the South Island by a sharp mountain range, you’ll enjoy Golden Bay’s rugged isolation as much as you enjoy its golden sand and shining seas.

Don’t have a study break to go on?

Study break is the best time of the year, but you don’t get one if you’re not studying. Crown Institute of Studies offers a variety of courses in New Zealand from tourism, to hospitality, to business and English language courses. With us, you’ll get work experience in the industry you choose while you study for your qualification, allowing you to go straight into work when you’re done. Contact us to enrol today and start your New Zealand adventure!

 

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Choosing Between Jobs in the Hospitality Field

A waitress holding a tray and smiling

Gaining a career in hospitality can be extremely rewarding. It’s a field where you’re constantly meeting new people and making valuable connections. If you’ve made the decision to go into hospitality as a job, great! The next step is deciding which of the many hospitality courses, and consequentially which career path you want to take on. There are pros and cons to every hospitality job, and they can vary vastly between them.

In this article, we’ll give you a short guide to choosing between jobs in the hospitality field, depending on your personality or what you want to achieve.

Boffin of beverages

Becoming a beverage boffin takes more than just completing a barista course, sommelier apprenticeship or learning how to brew. The beverage industry is so vast! However, becoming an expert at something in this industry can prove immensely valuable. There are new things to learn about coffee, wine, cocktails, beer, any beverage every single day and your knowledge will expand greatly while working in this industry.

Working in cafes and restaurants has its perks as well: you’ll always be in a buzzing, fast-paced environment which makes the days go by like a blur. You will have plenty of opportunities to develop excellent people skills while in this job, as you’ll be serving people their favourite drinks! This is one of the most creative hospitality jobs, and you’ll be surprised as to how far the knowledge you learn can take you.

Cook up a storm

Attending culinary school is a great path for anyone who wants to be surrounded by food (glorious food!) in their career. Contrary to popular belief, becoming a chef doesn’t restrict you to being holed up in a kitchen all day and night. Chefs can be found everywhere there is food: from food trucks at festivals, cruise ships and airlines, to film sets and on-tour with celebrities. There’s even a team of chefs at The White House!

As you develop your skills as a chef, you’ll start collecting the tools needed to forge your own career path. Start your own restaurant! Curate a food festival! Everybody loves food, and if you have the skills and passion needed to make good food, you’ll be sure to have job security for a loooong time.

Travel the world

There are a lot of hospitality jobs that can take you all over the world. If you’re keen on travelling with your job, all you need to do is look out for one of these pathways. A tourism course can boost your career into many different travelling industries. The obvious choices are flight attendants and tour guides, both of which can be incredibly rewarding.

As a flight attendant, your job requires you to have a calm and collected manner and to always be well presented. As a tour guide, you can let your inner comedian or history buff out—it’s a great job for a spirited, charismatic person. No matter your personality, you’ll be able to find the perfect travelling job for you.

Problem solve and manage people

If you’ve always wanted to be the boss, the hospitality industry has some challenging yet rewarding pathways for you. Working in hotel management is a pathway that encourages problem solving abilities and critical thinking, all while providing the highest levels of customer service. It will be challenging at times to provide people with solutions and to be a constant peacekeeper, but the rewards of keeping customers happy and being able to serve will be well-worth it. These are also important life skills that can take you to great places if you do well in this pathway.

Take a course that will kick start your hospitality career

 

The first step for getting into any hospitality industry, no matter which one you choose, is to get educated. The hospitality courses at Crown Institute are tailored to your ideal career path, and can be the perfect way to kick start your career in hospitality. Browse our courses online and find out which one is right for you!

 

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Tips for Surviving Christmas in Hospitality | Crown Institute

surviving-christmas-in-hospitality

hospitality courses, you might’ve heard the rumours. You might’ve heard some Christmas success stories, but spread in between those are the holiday horror stories about unruly guests or mid-Christmas season staff breakdowns. Don’t sweat it! It happens. If you manage to live through the ‘long’ holiday season, you’ll be able to face everything the hospitality industry throws at you with a grin.

From simply putting in the hard work, through to celebrating mini-victories during your day, here are tips on how you, as an ongoing hospitality student, can survive through the season:

Batten down the hatches—work through it!

The holidays can be distracting. Everyone has a busy schedule, but as a member of the staff or as someone working as an intern, you have the unenviable task of preparing everything so your over-worked guests have the time of their lives. It’s easy to make mistakes when stressed, so don’t focus on that! Instead, concentrate on the task at hand and remember your barista course studies and others. It is helpful enough to take your mind off making mistakes.

Get plenty of rest

 

It’s easy to get lost in the hectic holiday season, but don’t sweat it! Savour the free time you get. If you get the chance to get some rest, take it. It’s another way of recharging yourself so you’ll be ready for the holiday grind. It’s also good for keeping yourself in the pink of health, something you’ll need during the long holiday season.

Take time off during the important dates

December 25 and 26 and New Year’s Eve are dates meant to be shared with friends and family. If you can’t allocate these dates for all your loved ones, try to at least take one of those days off. This also allows you to freshen yourself up and get back into the grind. Just remember to negotiate your time off as early as you can to avoid having to jostle for leave with other people. It will also help your boss adjust to your absence – or to absences — from staff.

Celebrate with your work family

The company Christmas party is one of two things – you could be looking forward to it all year, or you’ve been dreading attending it. It’s still a work event, after all, so show up. Think of your work colleagues as family too – make it a point to connect with them during the event. This is also another opportunity to take your mind off the stress of holiday work and revitalise, making work easier in the long run!

Those mini-victories—savour it!

Whenever someone gives you props during holiday work, receive it and give yourself a pat on the back—you deserve it! Not everyone can say that they worked through the holidays without getting affected, so give yourself enough credit when it’s due. Distribute the accolade to the team as well if you all earned the praise.

Looking to dive into the busy and rewarding world of hospitality?

 

It’s easy to forget your training during stressful holiday work, but with Crown Institute’s hospitality industry training, you’re well-equipped for any time of the year! Contact us to know more about our various hospitality courses.

 

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5 Qualities You’ll Need to Flourish in Hospitality

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Hospitality is one of the largest growing industries in New Zealand, with the tourism and hospitality sector providing nearly 17.1 per cent of total export revenues. While more and more hospitality jobs are becoming available across the country, that doesn’t mean hospitality is for everyone. It’s normal for students to do part-time work in restaurants and bars, but there are also people who are driven to kickstart a long and successful career in the industry.
If this sounds like you – whether you want to end up managing your own café or running your own hotel – you’ll need to possess certain qualities to have a flourishing hospitality career and make your mark in this fulfilling yet challenging industry. Check out what your future employers are looking for below:

Commitment

Commitment to your job, to the people, and to the business are all very important when it comes to working in hospitality. Even when you’re faced with difficult decisions, it’s important to stay committed to customer satisfaction and to your own level of professionalism as well. Commitment means using your passion to drive every decision, and being flexible enough to deal with anything that comes your way!

Great people skills

This one’s a no-brainer. You need to have a love for being around people to work at any level in hospitality – including making small talk, caring about people’s

thoughts and feelings, and being able to carry a conversation to make people feel relaxed and comfortable. Whether you’re a waitress, barista, manager, or so on, it’s important that you have the empathy and communication skills that help people have a great time. At the end of the day, it’s really about making a connection with people and creating a memorable experience, which can all be hard to do if you don’t have great people skills.

Attention to detail

 

While customers won’t necessarily be at your establishment to scrutinise every little detail, they can feel the difference. However, your keen attention to detail is necessary to ensure every part of your customer’s journey is enjoyable and comfortable.  Things such as how you greet customers, fold napkins, present food, or pour wine are all noticeable and add to a positive customer experience.

Leadership

 

The most successful people in the industry know the importance of working well within a team, and using every individual’s skillset to benefit each other and the business. This makes them great leaders – their passion and teamwork bring like-minded people together to accomplish goals and achieve great success that only a team can.

Enthusiasm

 

When your waiter is in a bad mood, you can tell, right? If you flip roles like this, it’s easy to see why enthusiasm is very important on the job. It’s that much easier to talk to a positive, energetic and professional staff member than it is to a grumpy one. Our own moods affect the moods of those around us, so it’s important to stay positive and enthusiastic whenever you can. People will remember their best experiences as well as their worst, and to succeed, you want to be on the better end of that stick.

Crown: The Top Choice for the Best Hospitality Courses in Auckland

At Crown, our hospitality courses help our graduates learn more than what’s necessary to blaze a trail in the industry – this includes relevant experience to ensure you stay committed, possess great people skills, have a keen attention to detail and a good leadership foundation, as well as fuel your enthusiasm for the job!

Check out our hospitality courses and specialised barista course online or call 0800 632 759 to enrol with Crown today!