Macquarie Community College has partnered with social enterprise Darcy St Project to open the Darcy St Project Epping Community Cafe in the Boronia Grove Community Centre in Epping.

Macquarie Community College students will have the opportunity to use the commercial hospitality environment for hands on training while completing their formal qualifications in hospitality, including courses offering barista skills, food and beverage handling and service skills. Students would also learn critical skills to support them to work in a professional environment through the collaboration.

Students will learn:

• Safe work practices for hospitality
• Food handling practices
• How to provide great customer service
• How to operate in a hospitality environment
• How to make a range of espresso coffees
• How to serve food and beverages
• How to maintain a clean and efficient work environment

In addition to accredited courses including both full and part qualifications, the café will also host a range of non-accredited workshops such as American BBQ and general coffee skills.

Learn more about Darcy St Project

Darcy St Project already operates across three sites in Sydney CBD, Macquarie Park and Moorebank and is excited to be expanding its reach by partnering with Macquarie Community College at Epping. Darcy Street Project Director John Cafferatta said students would learn a wide range of transferable skills through working at the cafe such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, critical thinking, digital literacy and financial literacy.

“What makes our training different or more effective is that they're prepared for real work life. It's not in a classroom, it's not simulated. It's serving real customers and real clients. They have to deal with problems as they occur,” Mr Cafferatta said.

"We find that 90% of students that spend three months with us in our cafe and catering operations, get jobs within three months."