Starbucks Korea will launch free job training programs for youths

Starbucks Korea will be offering free training to youths who would like to work as baristas. The company is starting a program for the youth next year, and this is part of the Korean government’s project to resolve joblessness among the younger citizens in the country.

Starbucks Korea will provide barista training to at least 200 youths who are having a hard time finding a job. The Korean unit of the coffee chain signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the country’s Ministry of Employment and Labor on Wednesday, Oct. 27.

With the commitment, the company is officially one of the participants in MOEL’s “Youth Employment Support Project” that was formed with the aim of employing more youngsters and reducing the percentage of unemployment.

Moreover, The Korea Herald further reported that the ministry set up the program with another goal to encourage companies to offer different training programs and provide work experiences as well by hiring newbies and inexperienced young job hunters.

It was revealed that Starbucks is the latest major firm to sign up for the employment project for the youths. At any rate, the company will begin its training for future baristas next month and it will accept up to 40 participants for this batch.

Individuals who are 18 to 34 years old could register and they will be accepted for a 4-week course that will include lectures about coffee trends and other related subjects, hands-on coffee making sessions, and touring of Starbucks outlets in the area.

The training will be handled by professionals who are also serving as the company’s official barista trainers. They are working in some Starbucks locations and will be taking some time out to teach the know-how to aspiring youth baristas.

“The ministry is very grateful to work with Starbucks to revitalize youth employment through today’s agreement ceremony,” Labor Minister An Kyung Duk said during the memorandum signing ceremony that was held at Starbucks Academy in Myeong-dong, Seoul.

Meanwhile, Starbucks’ offering of free training comes after the company announced its plan to hire 1,600 new baristas and crew for its stores in S. Korea. The coffee chain decided to recruit more workers to lighten the workload of the store crew in response to their earlier complaints that led to a protest.