- Location
- Langside Campus
- SCQF Level
- 5
- Start Date
- 25 Jan 2027
- Qualification Type
- NQ
- Course Type
- Short Full-Time
- Duration
- 18 Weeks (January to June)
Develop your culinary knowledge by exploring the flavours, ingredients, and cooking techniques that have shaped cuisines from around the world. This 18-week course is designed for those who want to broaden their practical hospitality skills, gain industry-recognised knowledge, and learn how global food trends influence today's hospitality sector.
Alongside practical cookery, you'll develop essential skills in food hygiene, customer service, and barista techniques, helping you build a strong foundation for further study, employment or opening your own café.
Ideal for creative, motivated, and enthusiastic individuals, it offers an opportunity to expand your culinary horizons while developing practical workplace skills valued by employers.
What will I learn?
During the Launching your Café: Skills for Success course you'll:
- Explore a range of global cuisines, ingredients, and culinary traditions.
- Develop barista skills and learn how to prepare a range of hot beverages to industry standards.
- Develop practical food preparation and cookery skills.
- Discover how international food trends influence modern hospitality menus.
- Gain an understanding of food safety and food hygiene practices within the hospitality industry.
- Build customer service and communication skills for hospitality and food establishment settings.
- Learn about menu planning, food presentation, and contemporary dining trends that could be adopted in your own café.
- Develop teamwork, organisation, and employability skills valued by employers.
Entry requirements (minimum)
- A relevant hospitality qualification at Level 4, or equivalent, plus core skills at Level 4, would be advantageous.
- If English is not your first language you should have ESOL at Level 3, or equivalent.
- We welcome your application if you don't have formal qualifications but you have relevant industry experience in catering or hospitality.
The Scottish Credit and Qualifications (SCQF) Framework can help you to check if you're choosing the right level of study. Take a look at the SCQF Interactive Framework here.
Employer and industry links
We work closely with industry professionals to ensure our courses reflect current industry practices and emerging food trends. Through up-to-date training and practical learning experiences, you'll develop knowledge and skills that are valued across the hospitality sector.
Jobs and further study
Successful completion of this course can support progression to further hospitality and professional cookery qualifications, as well as opportunities within cafés, restaurants, hotels, contract catering, visitor attractions, and other areas of the hospitality industry.
I've applied — what happens next?
When you apply
You will receive an automated email confirming that we have received your application (remember to check your SPAM folder).
Your application will be reviewed by the admissions team and you will either be:
- Made a direct offer (unconditional or conditional)
- Invited to book an interview session
- Advised that your application is unsuccessful – you have not met the entry requirements for this course and are advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.
- We aim not to reject an application and if you don’t meet the entry requirements you may be referred to a different course or level.
If you are invited to interview, you will be informed of the outcome of your interview by email within 14 working days. The outcome will be one of the following:
- Unconditional offer of a place – you have met all the entry requirements and your place is guaranteed. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your place.
- Conditional offer of a place – your place is secured pending you meeting the entry requirements. This may mean achieving school or college qualifications which you may not be able to provide to us yet. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your conditional place. Once your conditions are met this will change to an unconditional offer of a place which you must accept before you can enrol on the course.
- Waiting list – you have met all entry requirements, and have been interviewed however, the course is now full so you have been placed on a waiting list. If any spaces become available you may be contacted, usually around the course start date. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
- Reserve list – following your interview, you have unfortunately not been successful in this round of recruitment. We have placed your name on a Reserve list and your application may be reconsidered at a later date. This could happen any time up to the start date of the course but it is very possible that you will not be offered a place. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
- Unsuccessful – your interview has been unsuccessful. You may be offered a place on a course at a different level, or advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.
Once an offer is received, you must reply within 14 working days or risk losing your place, as the system will automatically decline your offer after 14 days.
Once you have accepted your offer, you will be sent out instructions about student funding, joining instructions and induction date. This will normally be sent out in December / January.