A few years ago, a very innovative idea surfaced. A school in Oregon decided to start a pilot program called coffee cart jobs. The hope was to prepare students for food service careers. The pilot project served several purposes and turned out to be a most creative teaching tool.
What were the benefits?
• Coffee cart jobs taught the participants that there is usually more to a job than what meets the eye. It taught them structure. It taught them structure because they were scheduled to run the coffee cart at specific times. These times including times during school which the students had to attend. It easy to see where this would be most valuable when it became time for the student to venture into the working world.
• The coffee cart jobs provided the perfect learning ground to learn customer service. It gave them a chance to learn how negative attitudes do not fit into a business environment, particularity when it comes to food service careers where you are dealing with the public.
• It showed the students a much better insight to the food industry. This was of an immense benefit to students who were considering food service careers. They could then make an educated choice as to whether this was the industry they wanted to specialize in.
• It was the perfect opportunity to give younger students the opportunity to gain some experience, which helped in their endeavors to find some part time work when they were ready for it. This type of preparation would give them the opportunity to fill cafe manager jobs.
• It allowed them to see all aspects of the industry. It's easy to want to follow a career when you are doing something you really enjoy. Often students find that there are many other areas that they do not enjoy. On the other hand, other students found doors opening for them in other areas of the food industry they had not considered.
• Students also get to learn the basic accounting aspect of running a business. This included how they must balance and budget the finances of the business. This is a most beneficial exercise when it comes to running and operating a business. It doesn't matter how small the financial aspects of it are, the fundamentals are still being learned.
How Did the Coffee Cart Jobs Project Work?
The coffee cart is located on the premises of the school. A student was assigned to open and close the business during the hours of a school week. This student was also required to keep the cart clean, which was done after classes.
It didn't just simply serve coffee either. It had quite unique products for sale, all of which relate to the food service industry. This particular one offered muffins, lattes, Italian sodas, and hot chocolate. The best part was that there are many students who participated in the coffee cart jobs project. Students involved in the coffee cart jobs project were responsible for all areas of the business. They purchased supplies and even figured out the balance and deposited the cash from sales.
The concept of the coffee cart job is a way of bringing the business to the students. It has become a very valuable tool for those that are interested in food service careers. From here for even further experience they can be on the look out for cafe manager jobs. The training they get from the coffee cart prepares them well for this type of work.
The coffee cart jobs project has been so popular and successful that it has been adopted throughout various schools. There is great variety in food service jobs. Often students enjoy one aspect of it, but can't make decisions on other areas relative to food service careers because of lack of knowledge. They may have dreams of opening their own business one day. They are basing the idea on what they know, which may be the food preparation aspect. This is the part they enjoy. Then, when it comes to the business end of the industry, they may not like it. Now, with the coffee cart jobs projects they at least have some concept of what business within their chosen category consists of.
This particular food service jobs project has certainly been an overall successful endeavor. It is something that perhaps could be expanded to other industries. It shows that creative projects such as this particular one can enhance the learning of students, and give them more skills and preparation to face the working world. Food service careers are an excellent choice for those interested in entering a very busy and exciting industry.
