All six out-of-school youths in Jungnang barista program earn certification
Seoul's Jungnang-gu Youth Support Center for Out-of-School Youth said all six participants in its five-month Kkumnarae vocational program completed it and obtained barista certificates.
All six young people who took part in the 2026 Kkumnarae vocational capacity-building program run by the Jungnang-gu Youth Support Center for Out-of-School Youth completed the course and obtained barista certificates, the center announced after holding a graduation ceremony in late July 2026.
The program ran for five months and included 62 hours of barista theory and practical training, according to the center, which is headed by Yoon Tae-hyun and operated by the Korea Youth Association under a commission from Jungnang district office. The district office, led by mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi, funded the program.
The course was organized in three stages. Preparatory training covered resume and cover letter writing, interview preparation and image consulting; technical training provided basic and advanced barista and baking instruction along with support for level 2 and level 3 barista certification; and field practice placed participants in real work, including drink preparation and customer service. Three partner cafes took part — the Mokdong branch of Mega Coffee, Off Idea and Hose Coffee.
This year the center added a one-day advanced class on barista work in cooperation with a specialist training company, according to the release. The center is located on the third floor of the Jungnang Municipal Youth Center and supports out-of-school youth aged 9 to 24. It said it will continue to operate support programs for that group.