Distance Learning Spotlight: Françoise Risbourg
Originally from Lille, Françoise worked as a Head of Consumer Experience at a global fashion company based in Denmark, but once COVID-19 hit, she relocated to the United Kingdom and is now looking for her next challenge.
SCA certificate programs are designed to help you create a successful career in the coffee industry. As of June 1 2020, the SCA increased accessibility of the foundation courses allowing Authorized SCA Trainers (ASTs) around the globe to teach selected foundation courses in-person and in a virtual environment so that learners can continue growing and learning during these unprecedented times. This week we share Françoise Risbourg’s distance learning experience.
While researching coffee education courses, she found information on the SCA Coffee Skills Program via Instagram. An academic person who likes exams with certifications, Françoise says she wanted to learn from industry experts and that she felt SCA Education courses were “creme de la creme.”
From her new home in the UK, Françoise recently took two SCA Coffee Skills Program courses: Green Coffee Foundation and Brewing Foundation, virtually alongside two other learners taught by an AST based in London. “We were three students, one from London and one based in Vietnam, if I recall correctly. I straight away liked the international community.”
As a very nomadic person having lived in a number of different countries, a virtual learning environment was a must for Françoise, even though she wasn’t sure what to expect. With in-person teaching unavailable in some countries, distance learning allows individuals to continue to grow their knowledge of many aspects within the coffee industry; “It is so key nowadays!” said Françoise. “Not only to offer flexibility, but also to reach an audience that does not have the opportunity to live close to a training center. This will enable new development opportunities.”
Françoise understands that “some people might be reluctant to jump on virtual learning,” but encourages them to dive in anyway: “once you get going, you will find that there is a whole new world out there!” There were many high-points to Françoise’s experience, including a training kit that arrived a few days before her course began, which “showed a level of professionalism.” Françoise also found the mix of on-camera and off-camera learning to be unique and effective: “Despite being a virtual course, you are very hands on. The AST was very good at balancing learning with experiments that you do on your own and not in front of the camera. You then regroup and share your experience; for me that was a highlight.”
In Françoise’s course, the AST also provided a significant amount of digital content to the learners such as YouTube video links which allowed learners to go back and explore them further at a later date. Not only was the AST on call to answer their questions, she created a virtual group on Microsoft Teams where the group kept in touch even after the course was completed. “People are sharing articles even if the course has ended. You really feel part of a community.”
Although she’s not sure if she wants to pursue a career in coffee, Françoise was driven to explore something different from what she already knows. “I am a strong believer that you have to keep on challenging yourself and be a lifelong learner. I learned that there is definitely more to coffee than just beans and water.
Are you interested in taking an SCA distance learning course?
Check out the SCA course calendar here, filtering your study method to “distance learning.”