Coffee Skills Program The SCA Coffee Skills Program is a modular, skills-based training program designed to prepare learners to gain more success in their career while contributing to the progress and evolution of the specialty coffee industry. Join the approximately 50,000 learners who engage with SCA Certificate Programs each year.
Built on decades of knowledge, research, and real-world experience, the Specialty Coffee Association’s education programs are designed to help you create a successful career in the coffee industry. Every year, more than 50,000 learners choose SCA courses to further their coffee careers.
You may also view a presentation on SCAA eLearning courses. The modules run in any modern browser that supports Flash or HTML 5. The course consists of 49 lessons, structured into 6 units. Early units cover the materials used in coating manufacture: polymers, pigments, solvents and additives.
The Brewing courses cover numerous brewing coffee methods as well as the brewing variables that affect quality. Hands on learning is emphasized with a focus on grind profiles, brewing methods, coffee strength measurements, and coffee extraction charting.
The Brewing courses cover numerous brewing coffee methods as well as the brewing variables that affect quality. Hands on learning is emphasized with a focus on grind profiles, brewing methods, coffee strength measurements, and coffee extraction charting.
Please note, only points earned from Coffee Skills Program courses can be applied to the 100 points required for the Coffee Skills Diploma.
The Green Coffee Intermediate course builds on the knowledge gained in the Green Coffee Foundation course and prepares the learner for more complex job functions found in the green coffee profession. Learners will take a deeper and balanced look at botany, agronomy, seasonality, processing, resting, shipment, storage, decaffeination, markets, certifications, transactions, and quality differentiation. Learners are also introduced to grading, defects, and positive attributes as they relate to green coffee contracts. A written exam tests intermediate course knowledge while a practical exam assesses the learner’s ability to grade coffee by size; identify physical defects; visually differentiate samples based on process, species, and variety; detect sensory defects; and conduct basic procedures of sample analysis.
The Coffee Skills Program consists of five different modules and one introductory course. The five specialist modules are Barista Skills, Brewing, Green Coffee, Roasting and Sensory Skills. These are offered at three different course levels. Introduction To Coffee is a popular, standalone course that familiarizes participants with specialty coffee and the broad topics that can be explored within the specialist modules.
The Introduction to Coffee course is ideal for anyone who is new to specialty coffee. It charts coffee’s journey from its origins in Ethiopia to the major commodity that it is today. This course gives a general overview of the specialty coffee supply chain and explores topics such as history and cultivation, variables that affect coffee quality, basics of sensory analysis, fundamentals of roasting, factors of coffee freshness, and principles of brewing. In addition, learners will discuss the importance of water quality, cleanliness and maintenance. This interactive course also includes a cupping, an industry-specific process for evaluating coffee through a sensory experience. There is an online written exam administered upon the completion of the course
The Brewing Professional course build s upon the concepts and skills introduced in the Brewing Intermediate course. Learners take a deeper and more scientific look at the essential elements of good brewing, what happens when brewing parameters are manipulated, and how to master navigation of the coffee brewing control chart. Learners will gain a deeper understanding of water and its impact on brewing, specifically utilizing the ideals of aim, measure, and treatment. The most powerful tools that a professional brewer possesses are an analytical mind and the ability to process and manipulate a multitude of changing variables. These variables help the brewer to understand how best to interpret the information and then offer a solution or opinion that will improve the coffee quality, service, and delivery for their clients. A written exam tests professional course knowledge while a practical exam tests the skills described above based on different working activities carried out during the course.
Authorized SCA Trainers (ASTs) set their own schedules and tuition fees. When a learner passes a course, there is an SCA administrative fee collected from the AST. As you identify the right AST for you, please consult with them regarding the pricing of their courses.
While SCAA courses are traditionally aimed at graduate chemists, there has been a lack of courses relating to more basic or introductory technical education for other members of the industry. Introductory course. SCAA now provides a Introductory Course in Surface Coatings.
The course consists of 49 lessons, structured into 6 units. Early units cover the materials used in coating manufacture: polymers, pigments, solvents and additives. The later units cover the formulation and applications of surface coating products.