By Ranjan K Baruah
A bartender is someone who serves beverages at a licensed bar to paying customers. A bartender mixes and serves drinks, mostly alcoholic.
In some establishments, the bartender might participate in flair bartending, which contributes to the entertainment in the bar. Bartenders are expected to be able to mix hundreds of types of drinks to please any paying customer in a quick and accurate way. Bartenders with professional experience and graduated from bartending schools get better employment opportunities due to their ability to handle customers and other required skills.
The best part is that there is no specific formal degree or qualification required for this career. However, some of them enter this career after completing a course in Hotel management or a certification course in Bartending. Now due to demand in this field those students in hotel management and hospitality field are taking short term courses in bartending as an add-on to their skill.
In India, job prospects for this career is more now than earlier with the mushrooming of hotels, resorts and night clubs. Bartending jobs are available both as part time and full time. In fact, bartending is one of the best part-time jobs available to college students. Strong competition is expected for bartending jobs at popular restaurants and fine-dining establishments.
Those who have graduated from bartending schools and those with previous work experience and excellent customer-service skills will have the best job prospects.
Students from hotel management have more scope to join this profession. Any one may try and become a successful bartender. Earnings vary greatly depending on the type of establishment. Further wages vary from country to country. However, in most cases bartender’s tips are higher than wages. A good bartender with experience is always in demand. Bartending has always been a male-oriented business. This is a fact not only India but abroad as well, though the percentage of female bartenders definitely is much more in the west.
Some students might not like this as they might be against bars and pub culture but the fact is different and it brings opportunity for many young people. With the ‘pub culture’ becoming widely popular across the country, bartending as a career is also gaining wide popularity in India.
There are courses like Mixology and Flair Bartending, Professional Bartending Course, Advance Bartending Course, Craftsmanship Course in Bartending, Certification Course in Wines and Spirits, Molecular Mixology Course, Basic Flair Bartending, Certification Course in Blair Flair, Exclusive Bartending Course, etc.
Most of the institutes offer direct admissions to the certificate and diploma courses in Bartending. The minimum eligibility criterion for Bartending certificate and diploma courses is 10+2 in any stream. Success depends on motivation, training and required skills. This is something new in the region but as the demand has increased so there would be more demand for individual who have experience in this area.
Updates:
NIFT Entrance: Interested students may apply for the entrance for admission to 4 years undergraduate and 2 years post graduate professional programs for the academic year 2019 at National Institute of Fashion Technology. NIFT has different campuses across India which offers different courses like B.Des in Fashion Design, Leather Design, Accessory Design, Textile Design, Knitwear Design, Fashion Communication, etc apart from Masters Programme. Last to date to apply for the entrance is December 28.
(Ranjan K Baruah is a career mentor, skill trainer, academic consultant and strategic planner and can be reached at [email protected] or 8473943734 for any career related queries)