The Coffee Academy 2025
Applications are now open for our three-month speciality coffee mentoring programme that takes place in Aberfeldy for anyone between 16 and 24, designed to help young people into work in the coffee industry and beyond.
This year the five day fully immersive course is being held at Glen Lyon Coffee Roasters from the 13th to the 17th of October, 2025. Places are free and we are also covering the accommodation costs for two students coming from further afield.
Students who successfully complete the course are awarded a Glen Lyon Coffee Certificate in Speciality Coffee, an opportunity for work experience in partner cafes and ongoing mentoring and support from the programme co-ordinator Paula Simpson.
Coffee Skills in the Community
Cafes offer great first time job opportunities for young people in rural Scotland but there are very limited training opportunities in speciality coffee and barista skills.
Set up in partnership with our sister charity Project Northern Lights, the Coffee Academy seeks to mentor young people in rural Scotland through a three-month mentoring programme that includes learning about speciality coffee, barista skills and work placements in cafes.
This fully funded course is free, open to all and is designed to encourage young people with little or no previous experience to develop their skills and employability in the coffee industry and beyond.
All places are free and lunch is provided during the course. This year we are are offering free accommodation for two students who would like to attend from further afield.
The Coffee Academy is funded by The Basil Death Trust and the Enchanted Forest Community Fund.
In-depth Coffee Knowledge & Training
This year the five-day training course will run from Monday 13 to Friday 17 October 2025 and will cover all aspects of speciality coffee with a core practical focus on barista skills.
All the training will be held at the Glen Lyon Coffee Roastery in Aberfeldy and topics covered will include:
- An introduction to speciality coffee including origins, varietals, processing and shipping.
- Meet a coffee producer and/or importer who will explain the challenges of growing and selling coffee.
- A practical introduction to coffee roasting.
- A journey into the world of sensory exploration in coffee.
- Understanding and experimenting with different coffee extractions.
- Barista skills and getting to grips with espresso machinery.
- Customer service and team-working in a hospitality setting.
Get involved
Applications are now open for the Coffee Academy 2025. No previous experience is required and we only ask that students are between 16 and 24 years old.
There is an informal selection process and all prospective students will be asked to have a chat (in person or online) with the project’s co-ordinator Paula Simpson.
We are holding an open morning for anyone interested at the Roastery from 10am to 2pm on Saturday 23 August. The deadline for applications is Monday 1 September.
If you would like to apply, or have any questions, please send an email to Paula at: academy@glenlyoncoffee.co.uk