Polije Coffee Students Hone Barista Skills Through Off-Campus Competition

In an exciting step toward professional development, students from the Coffee Study Program at Politeknik Negeri Jember (Polije) participated in a barista competition held outside the campus. The competition focused on the manual brew V60 method, offering students the opportunity to apply their brewing techniques in a competitive setting while gaining real-world experience.

This off-campus activity, which took place in Banyuwangi, East Java, challenged the students to demonstrate precision, consistency, and creativity in crafting specialty coffee. The event served not only as a competition but also as an educational experience, sharpening the students’ skills in time management, pouring technique, and coffee extraction.

According to the supervising lecturer, the competition was aligned with the learning outcomes of the Coffee Study Program, which integrates hands-on experiences into its curriculum. By joining real competitions, students are encouraged to think critically, remain disciplined, and improve their ability to perform under pressure—all essential skills for professional baristas.

The Coffee Study Program, which operates under Polije’s Agricultural Production Department, continues to support initiatives that expose students to the professional world of coffee. These kinds of activities are key to producing graduates who are ready to compete in the national and international coffee industries.

In addition to participating in the competition, five Coffee Study Program students were also successfully accepted into a national-level Barista Certification Program. This certification is recognized by the coffee industry and serves as an added value to the students’ professional profiles.

This achievement reflects Polije’s ongoing commitment to practical and vocational excellence. Through experiential learning and industry-standard training, the institution strives to produce graduates with competitive skills in line with market demands.

The initiative also aligns with Polije’s vision to become a globally recognized polytechnic. By encouraging students to engage in off-campus activities and professional certification, Polije strengthens its reputation as an institution that prioritizes competency-based education and international standards.

Moving forward, the Coffee Study Program plans to expand its collaboration with industry partners and involve more students in similar competitions and certifications. This is part of Polije’s broader mission to support the professional journey of its students beyond the classroom. (rda)