The Year 12 VCAL students along with the Year 11 VCEVM cohort are delighted that the 7TH LAB Café is back up and running for another year. In preparation for launch, the VCAL students have run a training session for the ‘new recruits’ outlining the procedures involved in set up, preparing milkshakes and coffees, and clean-up in the Café. They are certainly looking forward to having more staff this year to help manage the hectic pace of the Café on Thursdays.
The students are responsible for the ordering, rostering and financial reconciliation each week, and conducting planning and review meetings with the team. It is valuable real-world experience for the students, allowing them to further develop their communication, problem-solving, financial literacy and work-related skills. Furthermore, our Café is a social enterprise, with the students working hard to support causes in the community. Last year the 7TH LAB raised over $2000 for McAuley Services for Women and this year we hope to better that!
Our Year 11 VCEVM students have already proved that they too can make a fabulous brownie and are looking forward to working with the Year 12 VCAL students in the Café each week. Barista training is booked for early April and with additional mentoring from the Year 12s, it won’t be long before they are experts on the coffee machine too!
Helen Hamblin
Senior Vocational Program Coordinator
