A group of young Scots has been taking part in a free bartender training program provided by Bacardi, which will culminate when they take over service at the annual Glasgow Bartenders Ball next Monday.
Bacardi said that the 12 students on its ‘Shake Your Future’ program were nearly at the end of a 12-week course giving them the necessary skills for ‘not just a job but a life-long career’ in hospitality.
The program has been run by the team from Bacardi together with some ‘respected and talented’ members of the Scottish bar industry, who have given expert advice on everything from how to make the perfect Bacardi Mojito, to delivering first-class service in a busy bar.
“I want to inspire these young people to join the industry that I love but I want them to walk into their first bar with their eyes open,” said Liam Grogan, the famed head bartender of The Absent Ear.
“A life in the hospitality industry is not a walk in the park – it’s hard work but it is rewarding work.
“I would not be where I am today without the support and inspiration of others along the way,” said Grogan. “By supporting Bacardi and its Shake Your Future initiative I can do the same for these students as they set out on their own personal journeys into the world of mixology.”
The family-owned Bacardi Group has a long history in Glasgow, where it has worked closely with many of the city’s bars and restaurants – and where the Bacardi-owned John Dewar & Sons has its Scotch whisky headquarters on London Road.
“Shake Your Future not only gives people in our local communities a fresh start in hospitality, it also helps our friends in the bar community find the skilled bartenders they need,” said Harry Olorunda, Glasgow prestige account manager for Bacardi.
“We are committed to supporting both communities in every way we can and Shake Your Future is an important part of that ongoing commitment,” said Olorunda.
“These students now have a confidence and a passion for life behind the bar that I’m sure will give them a great future in the industry.”
Since launching in Paris in 2018, Shake Your Future has been repeated in countries across Europe, as well as South Africa and India, and has helped find employment for hundreds of its graduates.
This year’s Glasgow Bartender’s Ball – a night dedicated to hospitality professionals, which incorporates the presentation of the Glasgow Bar Awards – takes place at Saint Luke’s on Monday, 17th February, 2025.
