PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - A total of 20 students from SMKN 9 Bandung participated in the Coffee Corner or Beverage Business Project practice at Braga City Walk, Bandung, Friday (7/8/2026).

This activity is part of the Government Assistance Program for Project-Based Learning in Special Skills with a focus on barista occupations.

Students of the Culinary Expertise Concentration at SMKN 9 Bandung carry out practical work-based training by serving consumers directly.

The division of student tasks includes beverage production, service, and marketing according to the operational needs of the activity.

The activity was designed in collaboration with partners from the world of work to provide practical experience according to industry conditions and mentoring from coffee practitioners.

One of the students, Kinanti Dwinandila, said that practicing in public spaces provided a different experience compared to practical learning at school.

"At school, we're limited to the students and the school environment. Here, we're dealing directly with many people and consumers. So, it does feel different," he said.

Another student, Karmila Putri Septiani, admitted that she was nervous when serving customers and needed to understand the products being offered.

"At first, I was nervous and afraid of giving the wrong answer when dealing with customers. The most important thing is that we know the product we're selling. This way, when we explain it to consumers, we can convey it clearly," he said.

Karmila considers this activity important because it provides experience in dealing with work situations and consumers directly.

"Activities like this are important because they give us hands-on experience. We don't just learn theory or practice in school, but we also experience how to deal with situations and consumers firsthand," said Karmila.

Encouraging Industry-Standard Barista Competence

The Head of the Culinary Study Program at SMKN 9 Bandung, Vianny Agustina Citrasari, said that the program equips students with barista competencies according to industry standards.

"The ultimate goal is for students to graduate with industry-standard barista competencies," he said.

These competencies are expected to help students enter the world of work and develop coffee shop businesses independently.

The program also introduces the potential of local West Javanese coffee so that students are able to develop products with higher economic value.

"This program also aims to elevate the potential of West Java's local coffee to higher levels and achieve higher economic value through the innovative hands of the younger generation," he said.

In its implementation, SMKN 9 Bandung collaborates with three partners in the world of work, namely Nice Day Coffee, Osiris Coffee, and Cikopi Mang Eko.

The program also includes improving teacher competency through internships and certification facilitated by the West Java PHRI BPD.

SMKN 9 Bandung collaborates with LSP Rajawali Hospitality Nusantara to implement teacher competency certification.

The Project Based Learning Program lasts approximately six months, from June to November 2026, covering preparation to follow-up.

Dissemination of learning outcomes was carried out in two stages, with the next activity scheduled for August 18–23, 2026 at the Atrium Ciunik Summarecon Bandung.

Through this program, students gain experience in barista competencies, customer service, marketing, and business management.

(Rep pun/bhf)