Stories

“In this program, our school chose a handful of people for barista training with Heine Brothers. In the beginning, we learned the basics about different types of coffee and where it came from. There’s actually a lot of different ways to wash coffee,…

“In this program, our school chose a handful of people for barista training with Heine Brothers. In the beginning, we learned the basics about different types of coffee and where it came from. There’s actually a lot of different ways to wash coffee, which I was surprised about. It really does effect the flavor. We tried coffee with different wash types and I loved it. Overtime, we learned how to make the coffee and other drinks. I struggled at first, but after while I calmed down and eventually got the hang of it all. It took some getting used to but it got so much easier.

Not only did I learn a lot about coffee, but I learned a lot about teamwork. This program has definitely improved my skills, especially when working with teams. When working with my team, everything just flowed. It was so much fun working with them. I’m not shy but I would usually get frustrated when it comes to working in groups, but I really learned how to work better with others. What used to be stressful became calming and a good experience. Being apart of the program has certainly improved how I interact with others. I’m sure that’s going to be a great skill to have in the future, which I really appreciate. I enjoyed it a lot.

I want to get a job at one of the Heine Bros. coffee shops because I love the way the company interacts with people. They want to make everybody feel welcomed and less stressed. I love how lively it gets, too. I want to work in a place like this because the positive attitude is just contagious.” - Thalia, Western High School & Heine Bros. Coffee Barista Certification Celebration in Portland