Browning High School Students Gain Workforce Experience Through First Course Program
Ten students from Browning High School are participating in the First Course Workforce Development program at Wrigley Coffee, gaining hands-on training and mentorship in a real-world café environment.
Ten students from Browning High School are participating in the First Course Workforce Development program at Wrigley Coffee, gaining hands-on training and mentorship in a real-world café environment. The program, powered by Forward Endeavors, Browning High School, and Wrigley Coffee, provides students with 36 hours of training, including instruction on handling the register, creating coffee drinks, and using espresso equipment (Signal Tribune). Students attend sessions after school every Tuesday and Thursday, practicing skills such as using point-of-sale systems and serving customers (Signal Tribune). [1]
The students are split into three teams—Macha, Latché, and Coffee—and rotate through various roles, including customer service, drink preparation, and handling difficult situations (Signal Tribune). During practice sessions, students demonstrate their ability to work together, manage the cash register, and prepare a variety of drinks (Signal Tribune). The program also includes mentorship from Wrigley Coffee staff and training in communication and conflict resolution (Signal Tribune). [1]
Anaitze Trujillo, a junior at Browning High School, emphasized how the program has helped her build confidence and gain valuable skills such as customer service and communication (Signal Tribune). She noted that the positive environment at Wrigley Coffee, which is a non-profit business, made her feel more engaged and excited about her role compared to working in a chain company (Signal Tribune). The program also fosters a supportive atmosphere where students can express themselves without fear of judgment (Signal Tribune). [1]
Ten students from Browning High School are participating in the First Course Workforce Development program at Wrigley Coffee, gaining hands-on training and mentorship in a real-world café environment (Signal Tribune). The program, powered by Forward Endeavors, Browning High School, and Wrigley Coffee, provides students with 36 hours of hands-on training inside a café, including one-on-one coaching with a variety of mentors (Signal Tribune). Students attend sessions after school every Tuesday and Thursday, receiving hands-on instruction behind the counter and training using espresso equipment, learning point-of-sale systems, and serving customers (Signal Tribune). [1]
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The students are split into three teams—Macha, Latché, and Coffee—and rotate through various roles, including customer service, drink preparation, and handling difficult situations (Signal Tribune). During their training, students practice a variety of skills such as handling the register, creating various coffee drinks, and working together (Signal Tribune). The program also includes sessions where students take turns being customers, taking orders, and preparing a wide range of drinks (Signal Tribune). [1]
Anaitze Trujillo, a junior at Browning High School, emphasized how the program has helped her build confidence and gain valuable skills such as customer service and communication (Signal Tribune). Trujillo learned about First Course after her friends graduated from the program and was invited to participate by Browning’s program facilitator and pathway coordinator, Daniel Miyake, who noted her natural ability to make people comfortable in the shop (Signal Tribune). The program, she says, has helped her develop communication skills and confidence in approaching conflicts with customers (Signal Tribune). [1]
Ten students from Browning High School are participating in the First Course Workforce Development program at Wrigley Coffee, gaining hands-on training and mentorship in a real-world café environment (Signal Tribune). The program, powered by Forward Endeavors, Browning High School, and Wrigley Coffee, provides students with 36 hours of hands-on training inside a café, including one-on-one coaching with a variety of mentors (Signal Tribune). Students attended sessions after school every Tuesday and Thursday, giving them hands-on instruction behind the counter and training using espresso equipment, learning point-of-sale systems and serving customers (Signal Tribune). [1]
The students were split up into three teams: team Macha, Latché and Coffee. On Thursday afternoon, two groups played the role of customers while the other group focused on creating the drinks. Everything culminates with a ceremony and mock café shift set for Friday evening, with their friends and family in attendance (Signal Tribune). The program has made huge impacts on the students, with many reporting increased confidence and valuable skills such as customer service and communication (Signal Tribune). [1]
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Anaitze Trujillo, a junior at Browning High School, learned about First Course after her friends graduated from the program. During that time she met the executive director of Wrigley Coffee, Chris Cano. Trujillo is part of student government, but never had a job before joining First Course. The program, she says, helped a lot with her confidence (Signal Tribune). “This program is really essential for high schoolers, especially how we get looked down on because they [adults] expect us not to know much,” she said (Signal Tribune). [1]
Ten students from Browning High School are participating in the First Course Workforce Development program at Wrigley Coffee, gaining hands-on training and mentorship in a real-world café environment (Signal Tribune). The program, powered by Forward Endeavors, Browning High School, and Wrigley Coffee, provides students with 36 hours of hands-on training inside a café, including one-on-one coaching with a variety of mentors (Signal Tribune). Students attend sessions after school every Tuesday and Thursday, giving them hands-on instruction behind the counter and training using espresso equipment, learning point-of-sale systems, and serving customers (Signal Tribune). [1]
The students were split up into three teams: team Macha, Latché and Coffee. On Thursday afternoon, two groups played the role of customers while the other group focused on creating the drinks. Everything culminates with a ceremony and mock café shift set for Friday evening, with their friends and family in attendance (Signal Tribune). The program has made huge impacts on the students, with Anaitze Trujillo, a junior at Browning High School, emphasizing how the program helped her build confidence and gain valuable skills such as customer service and communication (Signal Tribune). [1]
Anaitze Trujillo learned about First Course after her friends graduated from the program. During that time, she met the executive director of Wrigley Coffee, Chris Cano. Browning’s program facilitator and pathway coordinator, Daniel Miyake, felt Trujillo had a natural ability to make people comfortable in the shop and asked Trujillo if she wanted the internship (Signal Tribune). Trujillo said the program helped her with her confidence and added to her resume and list of skills, including communication and conflict resolution (Signal Tribune). [1]
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