Ground UP Barista Academy, 30 Sixwayikati Street, Ilitha Park, Khayelitsha, Cape Town (2026)

12/06/2026

Exciting news if you are waiting for the Bake for Profit or Ground UP Barista course interest lists to open!

Set an alarm for 9am on Wednesday 17 June as they will both be opening.

Use this link to add your name: https://tinyurl.com/LtEcourseinterest

You will need to come to the assessment day on campus – so watch out for our WhatsApp with the date and time.

REMEMBER:
Bake for Profit:
The course covers BOTH business & baking skills – to help you build a baking business from your home.
During the course you will need to go into your community and sell your products.

Ground UP Barista:
A barista is a person who makes coffee using an espresso machine. They work in the hospitality industry.

COURSE INFO:
Bake for Profit:
8 weeks, 3 days per week, full day
Cost: R800 (R300 payable at the assessment + R500 payable during the course)
Entry requirement: basic literacy & numeracy assessment, daily access to an oven

Ground UP
Fee: R600 (R300 non-refundable course registration fee + R300 course fee)
Duration: 8 weeks, Monday to Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm
Entry requirement: grade 10 pass, desire to work in the hospitality industry
Graduates will have a basic understanding of the coffee industry, including how to pull an espresso shot, texturize milk and understand and make different espresso-based drinks.

01/06/2026

So this happened this morning

04/05/2026

The second barista course for the year has started at LtE Khayelitsha and the air is charged with caffeine!

The students have spent the first couple of lessons learning how to drink coffee, how to explore differences in grinder settings and laying the foundation in customer service by serving coffee to the campus staff.

As we share in class every day, the students are on a journey. It's a marathon, not a sprint. It's about improving every day and trying to better understand this magical bean session after session. We fix our eyes on what the goals are, rather than fixating on the immediate challenges. We rely on each other to grow and remind ourselves that it's all about progress, not perfection.

The waiting list is open for names, you can use this link to add yours using this link: https://tinyurl.com/LtEcourseinterest.
Course Fee: R600 (R300 registration fee + 2 x R150 course fee payments)
Times: Mon- Fri, full day
Duration: 8 Weeks
Entry requirements: Grade 10 pass, successfully complete the entry assessment, desire to work in hospitality industry.
Graduates will have a basic understanding of the coffee industry, including how to pull an espresso shot, texturize milk and understand and make different espresso-based drinks.

A Barista is a person who makes coffee using an espresso machine. They work in the hospitality industry.

09/02/2026

As the year starts a new adventure begins for our students at the Ground UP Barista Academy at LtE Khayelitsha. Our Barista Trainer has this to share, ‘We spend our first week getting to know each other, to settle into our new spaces and being introduced to the "magic bean" that has and will change many lives.

It's a love-hate relationship at first, as we learn how to appreciate the finer flavours and complexities of coffee - without sugar - in the form of a single cappuccino but more importantly, in its purest form - the espresso! The students brave the unknown by sipping cautiously on this intense world-famous beverage and learn how to navigate an often very new sensation and palate experience.’

Good news is that the course interest list for the next barista course opened today. This is for the course starting end March.

Use this link to add your name https://tinyurl.com/LtEcourseinterest and then look out for our WhatsApp about the next assessment day, which you need to attend before registering for the course.

Fee: R600 (R300 non-refundable course registration fee + R300 course fee)
Duration: 8 weeks, Monday to Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm
Entry requirement: grade 10 pass, desire to work in the hospitality industry

What is a barista?? It is a person who makes coffee using an espresso machine. They work in the hospitality industry.

After the course you will have a basic understanding of the coffee industry, know how to pull an espresso shot, texturize milk and understand and make different espresso-based drinks.

08/01/2026

Luhholo shares his story of change

‘I fell into a deep depression after my mom passed. Most days, I just sat at home, people would ask why I am not working. My father pressured me to contribute towards my expenses, but inside I felt like a 0. He told me about the barista course at Learn to Earn, and after thinking for a few days, I decided to find out more.

The receptionist at LtE Hermanus gave me information, I enrolled and was excited. I learnt about the coffee industry and how to appreciate the bean. Being on campus and working towards my future, gave me a great confidence boost. However, the journey was not easy. At times, it felt like my whole personal life was falling apart but LtE became my safe space, the students my family and my trainer my support. We did daily devotions that brought me into a deeper relationship with God. I now speak to him every day and tell him about my day. He is my strength.

After I graduated, I applied for work at Milk on the Beach. I was very excited and nervous going to the interview. To get to Milk on the Beach, I had to cross a beach. I could see the beautiful restaurant with the newly painted walls and railings ready for December season. I also saw a high tide lagoon between me and the restaurant. I took off my shoes, rolled up my pants and walked through the cold water. saw the managers watching me and started laughing to myself. After trying to relax my thoughts and emotions, I felt a deep calm come over me. A new sense of control. As my foot took the last step out of the water, I knew this was the beginning of a new chapter. The past was washed away.

I am now the proud barista and barman at the Wafflebar in Onrus. My barista skills impressed the owner, and I could easily learn the bartending skills. I love locals greeting me by name and working within a great team. I am planning to fix my mother’s house for my siblings to stay in.

Fee: R600 (R300 non-refundable course registration fee + R300 course fee)
8 weeks, Mon - Fri 8.30am – 4.30pm
Entry requirement: grade 10 pass, desire to work in the hospitality industry
Offered at LtE Khayelitsha
Course waiting list is open https://tinyurl.com/LtEcourseinterest

01/01/2026

Hello to 2026!

30/12/2025

Not sure that the barista course is for you – let Noluthando’s story change your mind!

For many years Noluthando was a security guard next to the coffee stand at the OK Shopping Center in Hermanus. Here she saw the barista flawlessly prepare coffee-based drinks, bring happiness and smiles to the queuing customers. After having her second child, she realized that the long shifts as a security guard would not do and started looked long and hard for a different job but was not successful.

Nolu heard from a friend that LtE Hermanus has a Barista course and knew instantly that she would enjoy it and it could potentially improve chances of finding employment. During the course she learnt that being a barista was definitely not as easy as it looked, it was hard work and took A LOT of practice. She excelled in customer service and simply fell in love with coffee. While on the course she went job shadowing at the Mugg & Bean at Whale Coast Mall and did very well. After graduation Nolu headed straight into the job market, but having graduated just before winter, the reality was that finding work would be a bit harder than she initially anticipated.

For weeks she heard nothing back from potential employers who promised to call her back. LtE was contacted by Mugg & Bean, as they had kitchen assistants & scullery hand jobs available and Nolu along with all the other graduates was notified of the opportunity. Even though she really wanted to be a barista, she needed to provide for her family. So, she swallowed her pride, went for an interview and was offered a contract after 3 days of work.

She excelled in the kitchen but guess what… Noluthando found her way behind the espresso machine! She is now the proud, smiling face preparing coffee as the Mugg & Bean Barista for that branch. She is living proof that dreams do come true with hard work and perseverance.

If you are keen to find out come add your name using the link and then come to do the assessment https://tinyurl.com/LtEcourseinterest
Cost: R600
8 weeks, full day
Grade 10, desire to work in hospitality industry
Training takes place at LtE Khayelitsha

25/12/2025

Today your Saviour, Christ the Lord, was born in David’s city. Luke 2:11

22/12/2025

My name is Siyanela, I am 30 and a mother of a five-year-old boy. I was working at the Airport, after my contract ended in March 2025, I started to look for a job but had no luck and was tired and feeling drained from doing nothing while having to provide for my son.

The one day my friend told me about Learn to Earn, where they train people in many different skills. I decided to apply for the barista course, even though I knew nothing about coffee. I chose the course because I wanted something to keep me busy. The first week was not easy, and I was not sure I would finish. Luckily my trainer loved training and coffee so it was easy for me to understand, and I started to fall in love with coffee.

It was not only barista skills, but we also did life skills where I was taught how to live better as a person, how live with the people around you, know how to build yourself up, to like who you are and know what you are capable of.

I graduated in August and I stayed a unemployed for a month but in the first week of September, I got a job with Tribeca working as a barista I would like to thank my trainers who gave me the skills - keep on doing good to others. I really appreciate what you have done for me, if it was not for Learn to Earn, I wouldn’t be here.

Take the step and change your life like Siyanela did.
The course interest list is open from names – you can use this link: https://tinyurl.com/LtEcourseinterest

Fee: R600 (R300 non-refundable course registration fee + R300 course fee)
8 weeks, Mon - Fri 8.30am – 4.30pm
Entry requirement: grade 10 pass, desire to work in the hospitality industry
Offered at LtE Khayelitsha

18/12/2025

Siyanelisiwe means ‘being satisfied’ or we are content’. Siya’s name is very fitting for her story which is filled with hope, confidence and purpose.

‘I worked as a chef in training at the Arabella Hotel. My seasonal contract ended and I looked for work in kitchens but had no success. This was a very difficult time. I was not fine at all. The Lord was my only strength during this time with no income. He became so real to me. I got the idea to use my cooking skills and started a small business in my neighbourhood. Daily I would set up shop next to the road to sell the meat I cooked on an open fire. The business did okay. I could serve customers and saw their faces light up with smiles as I handed them their food. Yet, I knew that I was capable of doing more. I had this urge to improve myself and to feel satisfied.

I saw a LtE Facebook post advertising their courses. It seemed that a lot of young people found work and their lives looked transformed. I knew that this could be me. I chose the Barista course, as it would make me versatile in the hospitality industry, as I had kitchen experience. With this course I could have more potential to get good work in any department.

The course was not easy. I had to put my head down and study hard as there were a lot of new things to learn. There is so much more to coffee than what I thought. I enjoyed getting the espresso shots just right. Graduation day was very special to me, I felt proud and happy. I did it!

Then I struggled to get work. Again. Most of my class found work, but not me. I tried to stay positive and kept applying. I prayed a lot. My trainer shared a job with me. I applied straight away. A few hours later, the owner phoned to arrange a same day interview. This was so amazing! I felt so excited! Now I work at Sam’s World of Coffee in Onrus. I am a barista and baker in training. All I can say is thank you to Learn to Earn. I am truly content.”

Khayelitsha, the list is open: https://tinyurl.com/LtEcourseinterest

Fee: R600 (R300 non-refundable course registration fee + R300 course fee)
8 weeks, Monday to Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm
Requirement: grade 10 pass, desire to work in the hospitality industry

Ground UP Barista Academy

12/06/2026

01/06/2026

04/05/2026

09/02/2026

08/01/2026

01/01/2026

30/12/2025

25/12/2025

22/12/2025

18/12/2025

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