Members of the industry and public interested in a career in brewing will soon be able to become fully qualified brewers through a new, part-time course launched by Sydney TAFE this month and starting on January 30, 2017.
The year-long Certificate III in Microbrewing is the first of its kind in Australia, providing students with a nationally recognised, fully certified brewing qualification. Students will learn the brewing process from start to finish through practical learnings at Sydney TAFE’s Ultimo College and at a number of Australia’s top microbreweries.
4 Pines Brewing Company, James Squire, Young Henrys, Australian Brewery and Rocks Brewing Company will open up their facilities for classes as well as provide guest lecturers for the course. These breweries have worked with Sydney TAFE over the last year to develop the course in the hope of solving Australia’s shortage of qualified brewers and will even be looking to employ some of the students from the course.
Neal Cameron from the Australian Brewery, who will be one of the teachers on the course, said that the certificate will provide students with hands-on, practical learning experience to ensure that they are fully qualified by the time that they graduate.
Brand new micro-brew labs have also been built on site at Ultimo College for the course. Here, students will learn everything about brewing, testing and assessing beer; yeast management, fermentation and filtering beer. Brewing will take place on site, seven days a week. Partnering breweries will then offer students the opportunity to learn speciality skills, such as working a bottling line.
“Participants in the industry will be able to enrol as trainees which can benefit them as well as their employers. Trainees have their fees capped at $1000; they gain formal qualifications and on-the-job skills. Employers gain staff with the latest and best workplace know-how,” Neal added.
“But you don’t need to be a trainee to do the course. ‘Regular’ enrolments from the general public are also welcomed. A passion for brewing great beer, however, is essential.”
Both people who work in the industry and want to formalise their knowledge into qualifications or who want to work in the industry and get a qualification, as well as those who are just simply passionate about learning about great beer are invited to join the course.
Prospective students can enrol on 5 October 2016. For more information, email SydneyTAFE.Mircrobrewing@tafenew.edu.au or download the micro-brew course brochure.
Image: Neal Cameron, Australian Brewery
