Archived Ast Training

[Offbrandbarista]

So I've been "ast trained" for about 2 years. By that I mean they gave me the binder for my training and I did it on my lunches until I was done. I never got any practical training. Then the dm came, we talked and she signed me off, then I've never had my training updated.

Earlier this year my lead quit and so I've been holding down the fort. It's been 8 months and we still dont have a lead. I'm getting really disenchanted.

I was wondering:
1. If this has happened to anyone else and how they handled it
2. If any other asts' have a suggestion for managing the lead workload
3. If theres a way to get retrained without talking to the dm? (I'd like to have a real ast training where I go to another store and learn from someone.)

 

[Planosss]

Are you interested in the TL position?

 

[Xanatos]

AST has been replaced by LS Leader training. But honestly they’re both a joke to me. There isn’t much in there that you wouldn’t already learn by just doing the job, and a lot of the rest is just a waste of time because it doesn’t really apply to a Target because you aren’t the LOD.

Other than actually typing up coaching documents and requisitioning things to recognize the team and writing reviews there isn’t really anything a Starbucks TL does that a good barista isn’t already doing. At stores with a TL over all the food areas, the baristas should be doing all of the training for new team members, following up with veterans who aren’t doing their job, recognizing the team when they’re doing well, doing Siren’s Eyes, placing orders, doing weekly/monthly cleaning, etc.

Anyway, are there specific things you’re struggling with or have questions about? I guess my best piece of advice is to go to your ETL/STL and tell them that you need other baristas to step up to your level and help share the responsibilities. For example, one of them can do all of the pastry and sandwich ordering, another can hopefully work on Monday evenings and be in charge of Siren’s Eyes, etc. You probably make the same pay as a barista who started today, so you shouldn’t be doing everything. The workload needs to be spread out.

 

[Offbrandbarista]

Are you interested in the TL position?

I don't want to be the TL because our TL deals with all of market.

 

[Offbrandbarista]

AST has been replaced by LS Leader training. But honestly they’re both a joke to me. There isn’t much in there that you wouldn’t already learn by just doing the job, and a lot of the rest is just a waste of time because it doesn’t really apply to a Target because you aren’t the LOD.

Other than actually typing up coaching documents and requisitioning things to recognize the team and writing reviews there isn’t really anything a Starbucks TL does that a good barista isn’t already doing. At stores with a TL over all the food areas, the baristas should be doing all of the training for new team members, following up with veterans who aren’t doing their job, recognizing the team when they’re doing well, doing Siren’s Eyes, placing orders, doing weekly/monthly cleaning, etc.

Anyway, are there specific things you’re struggling with or have questions about? I guess my best piece of advice is to go to your ETL/STL and tell them that you need other baristas to step up to your level and help share the responsibilities. For example, one of them can do all of the pastry and sandwich ordering, another can hopefully work on Monday evenings and be in charge of Siren’s Eyes, etc. You probably make the same pay as a barista who started today, so you shouldn’t be doing everything. The workload needs to be spread out.

I used to really enjoy coffee and the coffee culture that was cultivated at my store, that's why I became an ast in the first place. But now im so burnt out with the drama and keeping us afloat that I dont do tastings or anything.
Due to a mass hiring of baristas we have more new than old.The baby baristas were trained at a different store and do things differently. Which is really hard for us who have been there over a year and have a really go idea of what things need to be done and when. The new way goes against how I was trained. My ETL just tells me to do what they do because they're trained the new way and that makes me nervous because I cant find any written info from starbucks confirming this new way.
I have mentioned it. We've tried having different people accountable, whoever opens orders sandwiches and closers order pastries. We have a hard enough time having people do the logs. But things just arent getting done and I dont want to be on compliance. So i feel like it really falls to me regardless since our ETL isnt trained to know about starbucks.

 

[Yetive]

What kind of new ways of doing things? Making drinks, maintenance/cleaning, deploying team?
Logs are not negotiable. Cleaning is not negotiable. Proper beverage making is (mostly) not negotiable. (I have been known to batch blend Frapps).
An LOD checklist might help. If you can get a quick list together, it might help. Your LODs can make sure the basics are being done, and your team can build on that.

 

[Xanatos]

The Beverage Resource Manual has lots of details on how to do/make tons of things. Between that and the recipe cards, you have most of the things you need to know about Starbucks, other than cleaning routines and ordering. If you have specific questions about how to do something and the new baristas are doing it differently, you can probably find it there. And you can always ask us or join us in the main Starbucks thread on here.

 

[Planosss]

What kind of new ways of doing things? Making drinks, maintenance/cleaning, deploying team?
Logs are not negotiable. Cleaning is not negotiable. Proper beverage making is (mostly) not negotiable. (I have been known to batch blend Frapps).
An LOD checklist might help. If you can get a quick list together, it might help. Your LODs can make sure the basics are being done, and your team can build on that.

I have gone this route, literally put 5 things for LODs to check. NOPE. They still just sign off without checking it.

 

[Yetive]

That sucks.

 

[HardlinesGuy]

I’m sorry, but what is AST and LS Training?

 

[Yetive]

Advanced Store Training
Licensed Store Leader Training

 

[Planosss]

Advanced Store Training
Licensed Store Leader Training

Whats LvM while we’re at it?

 

[Xanatos]

Licensed Venue Manager training. It's supposed to be done by the ETL who oversees Starbucks, or the STL if there is no ETL. Basically just whoever the Starbucks TL reports to.

 

[Planosss]

Licensed Venue Manager training. It's supposed to be done by the ETL who oversees Starbucks, or the STL if there is no ETL. Basically just whoever the Starbucks TL reports to.

Is the, “atleast one ast cert TM during all business hours” still a requirement from sBUX? And if so how strictly is it enforced?

 

[Xanatos]

I've never heard that for AST. I've heard that for LVM, though, which conflicts with what I said earlier about it only being the ETL. I'm not really sure which is correct. And the only way to do it would be to have all the LODs do it. Not that they'll so much as say hi to a barista most of the time.

 

[Yetive]

Yup, one LVM trained at all times--yeah right, and 2 barista certified in the store at all times. I've never been asked about either by a DM.

 

[Offbrandbarista]

Is the, “atleast one ast cert TM during all business hours” still a requirement from sBUX? And if so how strictly is it enforced?

In my store it's absolutely not inforced. I am the only ast in the store. Though I did just read about it when refreshing my self on rules and it is still a thing.

 

[Offbrandbarista]

What kind of new ways of doing things? Making drinks, maintenance/cleaning, deploying team?
Logs are not negotiable. Cleaning is not negotiable. Proper beverage making is (mostly) not negotiable. (I have been known to batch blend Frapps).
An LOD checklist might help. If you can get a quick list together, it might help. Your LODs can make sure the basics are being done, and your team can build on that.

Making drinks differently than the recipe cards. Making whipped cream differently than the cards. Steaming milk differently than was launched last year. Mg store isnt really up on new training but I dont think that's it.
We have a ckecklist for lods and it doesnt do any thing.
I think I will join the main starbucks thread though and see what ideas i can glean.
Thanks everyone, I do feel less like I'm going crazy.

 

[Xanatos]

The only AST requirement I've ever seen is to have 2 baristas do it, with no mention of what hours they work, and that ideally it should be the TL and at least one other person.

If the other people are doing things wrong, break out the cards and show them! It's hard not to be an asshole about it, but say you aren't sure and then you both can look at the cards together to check. It also might be worth mentioning to your ETL that the other store shouldn't be training baristas for different stores.

 

[garbage]

I’m sorry, but what is AST and LS Training?

I was actually about to ask myself

Advanced Store Training
Licensed Store Leader Training

Thank you. Lol