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26-year-old Benjamin has always had a keen interest in brewing the perfect cup of coffee, having tasted his first cup of cappuccino when he was 17 on a school trip. Since that encounter, he became captivated by the beverage and wanted to dive deeper into its origin and the art of coffee making. 

On the encouragement of his parents, Benjamin, then a waiter in the hospitality industry, decided to professionally develop himself by pursuing his interest in coffee-making through a Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) Provide Specialty Coffee Service course at NTUC LearningHub. He enjoyed learning about the intricacies of gourmet coffee making, including striking the right balance in taste using grinder calibration and the distinct layers of milk and espresso that sets apart the various types of coffee drinks. “I also learned a lot more about the difference between Cappuccino and Café Latte, like how Cappuccino generally has a lot of more froth compared to Café Latte. I even learned that Café Mocha can be prepared with cocoa powder, rather than using chocolate sauce,” he quips. 

The learning journey was not always smooth sailing for him, but Benjamin practised diligently and aced his final coffee practical. Having successfully completed the course, Benjamin now works as a barista where he puts his newly minted skill to good use at work while also building upon the shared knowledge of his experienced colleagues. He credits the course for helping him transform his passion into a reality, where he can go beyond simply serving customers but also be responsible for the preparation of the food that he serves. The passionate coffee connoisseur endeavours to continue upskilling in coffee-making to share his knowledge with others. 

“I intend to continue practising and further fine-tuning my skills in coffee making, so that I can make better and better coffee for my customers every day. This will also be essential if I were to train others, including those with special needs, if I ever get such opportunity to share my knowledge and experience with them.”

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