Frequently Asked Questions About Our Courses
How old do I have to be to bartend?
In Florida (and most states) it is 18 to serve (21 to drink). Go figure!
Do I need a license to bartend?
A bartending school certification, or license, is not a requirement by law in the state of Florida (and most states). Personality, knowledge, confidence and efficiency behind the bar are the real attributes that the manager/owner is looking for in a bartender. Certification without the necessary training is like rowing a boat without a paddle. Which is why we stress that you research bartending schools first; look for a school with up-to-date industry training.
What should I look for when choosing a bartending school?
The level of training can vary immensely from one school to another. So when choosing a bartending school we suggest you compare several schools. Take your time to research your options. The bartending school with the best training is the best school for you; without the right training everything else is meaningless! It is NOT the certificate that will land you the job; it's your TRAINING!
1-Check to see if the school is licensed by the Florida Commission of Independent Education. A licensed school provides students with protection, such as tuition refunds, available through the State’s Tuition Refund Account. Licensed bartending schools also have a formal complaint process, whereas unlicensed schools, on-line bartending schools and bartending agencies, do not provide real training or job placement assistance. Unlicensed schools rarely invest money into their institution because they are closed when the education department gets wind of them. Unlicensed bartending schools, agencies and associations have a tendency to move around using different names.The following link www.fldoe.org/cie/SearchSchools/ lists all licensed bartending schools in South Florida. The New York Bartending School of South Florida is License #3301.
2- Inquire if they offer a hand-on trial class (an excellent way to see the facilities and evaluate the quality of training). Review the school's training manual to make sure it's up-to-date. You don't want to be wasting your time learning obsolete drinks like the Pink Squirrel, Golden Cadillac, Angels Tip, and King Alphonse. Once you've done your research, make a visit to the two or three bartending schools that you have narrowed your choice down to. Physically check out each school. Do they have the atmosphere of a real bar? Are they fully equipped with all the modern equipment? Are the classes overcrowded or too large in comparison to the number of stations. By visiting several schools, you will be able to make an informed and educated decision as to which bartending school provides you the best value for your money. If you REALLY want to find the best bartending school for you, simply sit in on the beginning of a new class and again on the final day when students are taking their graduation test. This is a great way to see how good (or not) the students are. Also a good time to talk to the students! At the New York Bartending School of South Florida students must make 20 drinks in under 6 minutes to graduate; compared to the standard 10 drinks in under 7 minutes. Feel free to visit our school and watch our students take their speed test!
3-Modern bartending schools provide seminars in wine, spirits, beer, alcohol awareness, POS/micros registers, opening closing procedures, alcohol awareness, customer service, etc. It's not only about making the drinks, it's about the complete skill set you need to create and build a career in bartending. So do your homework, research your options! The New York Bartending School of South Florida is the most modern bartending school in South Florida. Drop by and see for yourself!
4- A realistic and honest job placement assistance program. The degree of job placement assistance offered by any trade school varies immensely, but none can guarantee you a job; apart from being illegal for trade schools to do so, it is also impossible, as it is the manager or owner that does the hiring, not the school! If a school guarantees you a job after graduation proceed with extreme caution. We are proud of our New York Bartending Schools job placement assistance program because it has helped thousands of graduates find a job after graduation. At our Fort Lauderdale bartending school we provide job hunting seminars, one-on-one assistance and a job placement site that posts real job leads - we provide graduates with every tool they need to land a job. The placement assistance covers all of Broward, Dade and Palm Beach. It's these resources combined with our graduate's persistence and determination that accounts for our success and high job placement ratio. Check out our photo gallery to view our graduates at work, and feel free to drop by and talk to our school's job placement director
What should I Avoid when Choosing a Bartending School?
- Unlicensed bartending schools!
- On-line bartending schools!
- Bartending agencies and associations!
- Classifieds that offer bartending jobs for a subscription fee!
- Any schools that guarantee students a job as a ploy to get them signed up!
- Signing up to any bartending school BEFORE you actually visit it and sit in on a class!
- Signing up to any bartending school BEFORE you compare it with at least one other school!
NOTE: You cannot believe everything you read. A good example is the bogus floridabartendingpoll.com site put up by a competitor Florida bartending school owner. This site is NOT based on any articles or reviews-it is NOT a poll-it is not the truth! It's only purpose is self-promotion of his own Florida bartending school by misleading consumers with his bogus lies. This scam site is an anonymous proxy site with no contact information. Ask yourself, "to what benefit would a legitimate poll site achieve by paying literally hundreds of dollars a week to place this site on the Google sponsored Ad Words?" It is not too difficult to figure out who the owner is of this fictitious florida bartending poll site is. Unfortunately the bartending school industry has more than it's fair share of scams. So please do your homework, research your options, and DO visit several school to compare the differences (and seek the truth) BEFORE you sign-up at any bartending school!
At the New York Bartending School of South Florida our reputation, our facilities and our training speaks for itself! This is why we tell students to (a)-Visit our bartending school, (b)-Sit in on a class, (c)-Attend our introductory hands-on trial class (no fee), (d)-Talk to the students, instructors and job placement director, (e)-Read our reviews, (f)-View the photos of our graduates working, (g)-Visit the graduates at their place of work, (h)-Visit other bartending schools to compare! (i)-Take your time and choose the bartending school that will give you the professional training you need to secure work as a bartender.
We offer no gimmicks, no obligation, and no pressure to sign-up! Most students that sign up to the New York Bartending School of South Florida have done their OWN research on bartending schools! We suggest you do the same. Maybe that's OUR gimmick - honesty, up-to date training, modern facilities, a realistic job placement service - wow what a concept!
What if I am not ready after 40 hours?
You can take the course over again - as many times as you wish, at no additional fee at any of our three New York Bartending School locations: South Florida, New York City and Long Island. So you can be as good as you want to be!
- New York Bartending School, Inc - 68 West 39th Street, NY NY 10018 / 212.768.8460
- New York Bartending School of Long Island, Inc - 311 Nassau Blvd South, Garden City South, Long Island, NY 11530 / 516.279.4510
- New York Bartending School of South Florida, Inc - 1149 North Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304 / 954.568.2676
Do you have payment plans?
We offer an interest-free payment plan. Call us at 954.568.2676 to schedule what payment plan works for you. At the New York Bartending School of South Florida we work with you.
Do you offer flexible schedules?
We offer classes at a variety of times so you can fit it into your schedule. Morning, Afternoon, Full-day, Evenings and weekends. You can even mix and match, as well as retake the course as many times as you wish at no additional fee! Feel free to call us to talk about working out a schedule that works for you, or drop by the school. No appointment is needed!
I do not drink and know nothing about alcohol. Can I still learn?
Most of our students start out with little or no knowledge of alcohol, yet most graduate the first time they take the course. It all boils down to a comprehensive curriculum and unique training from qualified instructors. If you are not ready, no problem, you can retake part or the entire course as many times as you want, whenever you want, and you will never have to pay another dime!
Ready to start your bartending training? Register today by calling 954.568.2676
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