WHO WE ARE
Community cafe space will be programmed for youth workforce development providing hands-on and administrative learning opportunities for future business leaders.
The name 'Site 3' is an ode to White Center's historic housing Park Lake Homes. Many of our staff and community partners share our sentiments for preserving this part of White Center history as many people found community and connection at Park Lake Homes (Sites 1 and 2) in that time of their lives.
YOUTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Site 3’s Barista Training Program is a hands-on workforce development initiative designed to equip opportunity youth and young adults (ages 16–24) in White Center with the skills and experience needed to thrive in the food service industry. Through a 6.5-week cohort-based program, participants receive:
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Barista and food service training, including espresso preparation, customer service, and food safety.
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Soft skills development, such as teamwork and worker rights.
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Real-world experience in a fully operational café environment.
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Certification and resume-building to support entry into the workforce.
The program prioritizes BIPOC, immigrant, refugee, low-income, and justice-involved youth, offering a pathway to job readiness and long-term career opportunities. Revenue from the café supports the program’s sustainability and broader mission initiatives.
Program Details
What is the Barista Training Program? The Barista Training Program is a workforce development program that focuses on barista and food service training. This program introduces food safety, customer service, the fundamentals of creating espresso drinks, teamwork, worker rights, and covers the overall expectations of a food service worker. The intention of this program is to provide hands-on experience and help build the skillsets expected of a barista and café worker. This allows program graduates to enter the food service industry with confidence, barista knowledge, and an updated resume to reflect their experience in the program.
What kinds of drinks are baristas learning to make? Barista trainees are taught to make a wide variety of commonly known coffee and tea drinks. Students must first master their ability to pull proper espresso shots, steam all types of milks, and memorize different recipes. Once they have honed in on these skills, trainees repeatedly practice a classic café menu. Our main drinks of focus include the classics: Latte, Cappuccino, Cortado, and Café Mocha. By the final week of programming, students will make these four classic drinks, to be graded by a panel of coffee professionals.
How does the café support the Barista Training Program? The café offers a real-world learning environment where students from the program can complete apprenticeships and gain on-the-job training, developing skills in drink preparation, customer service, and café operations.
Will the café baristas be Barista Program students? As the program evolves, barista students will have the opportunity to undertake apprenticeships and gain hands-on learning experience at the café. However, café staff will likely be separate from programming. Once the café is officially open, we will have a better sense of the symbiotic relationship.
Are the café baristas Barista Program students? Not at this moment. During the soft launch, the café will be staffed by WCCDA professionals. As the program evolves, barista students will have the opportunity to undertake apprenticeships and gain hands-on learning experience at the café.
Logistics and Timing
How long is the Barista Training Program? How do I register? The Barista Training Program is a 6.5-week commitment. Classes are Monday through Thursday, between 9 AM and 11 AM daily. Full attendance is required to be certified. Due to capacity, class size is limited to four students per cohort. Applications for the upcoming cohort are open through Sunday, October 4th. If you are not accepted into the upcoming cohort, you can sign up for our one-day café workshops and reapply for the next cohort in January.
Can I come and order coffee during the Barista Training Program? Programming is closed to the public. Our trainees are hard at work, strengthening their drink-making skills. In an effort to prioritize their learning, we are not open for orders from the public.
When will the café open to the public? We are working with contractors to update the café to meet King County Department of Health food service standards. We hope to receive our permit by the end of 2026, although we have not yet set an opening date.
Why has the café taken longer than expected to open? The space was originally designed as a simple tea café rather than a coffee shop. It was not initially expected to require a food permit because it would not sell perishable, temperature-controlled foods. As a result, the original plans did not include some accessibility features and equipment required for a food-service business. Updated requirements, including an accessible three-compartment sink for washing dishes and equipment, have also required renovations.
I’ve seen people ordering from the café during events. Why was it open then, but not now? On occasion, the café will soft open for events hosted by the WCCDA. These events often offer a limited menu of prepared drinks, redeemable.
Target Audience and Eligibility
Who is the Barista Training Program for? This program is designed for opportunity youth and young adults, ages 16 through 24, in the White Center area. Our programming is funded through King County’s Best Start for Kids, under the Stop the School to Prison Pipeline (SSPP) grant. We serve BIPOC, immigrant, refugee, low-income, and justice-involved youth who are thinking about job readiness and/or are interested in hands-on training, specifically in food service and café environments.
Partnerships and Sustainability
Where are you getting your beans? We are partnered with Stamp Act Coffee Roasters in Ballard for both our espresso and commercial equipment needs. Our drip coffee roast will rotate between many local roasters, including White Center’s very own DubSea Coffee, and Boona Boona Coffee in Renton.
Where will café revenue go? Revenue generated by the Café directly supports WCCDA’s mission and is allocated to: Operating costs of the café The delivery and sustainability of the Barista Training Program Broader mission programming (e.g., Customer Service, Job-Readiness, Creative Labs)
Employment and Hiring
Are we hiring baristas for the café? We are not currently hiring. Our primary focus is to strengthen the training program, provide learning opportunities for students and community members, and fine-tuning the café model.
Read About Our Work
Our Organizer
Kannith M
WC HUB Cafe Operations & Program Manager
To contact our team, please email info@wccda.org, thank you!