Why Does the Coffee Industry Need a University Major?

China's Ministry of Education approved a new Coffee Science and Engineering undergraduate major at Yunnan Agricultural University in its 2024 catalog, announced on March 19. It is described as the first undergraduate program dedicated to coffee talent training, created to address a shortage of qualified workers as the coffee industry expands.

The curriculum combines theory and practice, including the online course Enchanting Yunnan Coffee plus offline courses in coffee processing, coffee blending, and coffee roasting and cupping. Graduates are expected to handle product development, new processes, and engineering design. The program aims to close the gap between rapid market growth and the supply of trained professionals.

Attention coffee lovers, a major piece of news has arrived: in the Ministry of Education's newly released 2024 undergraduate program catalog, the "Coffee Science and Engineering" major applied for by Yunnan Agricultural University has been officially approved, which means the world's first undergraduate coffee talent training site has been established in China. What exactly does this major study? Why is the market so eager for coffee talent? This article will take you through the curriculum of this emerging major, the industry background, and the enormous potential of the coffee market, while also focusing on the current imbalance between supply and demand of talent in the coffee industry.

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On March 19, the Ministry of Education announced the adjusted 2024 catalog of undergraduate programs for regular higher education institutions, which added 24 new undergraduate majors. The "Coffee Science and Engineering" major applied for by Yunnan Agricultural University was successfully selected, becoming the first major in the country and even the world to offer undergraduate coffee talent training.

The news quickly sparked heated discussion among coffee enthusiasts, with many joking, "Reborn as a coffee seller in Yunnan," "You can drink coffee while attending class," and "This is simply the greatest benefit for coffee addicts." Amid the lamentations, netizens were also curious: what exactly can be learned in this new major?

It is understood that the Coffee Science and Engineering major is a national distinctive major, aimed at meeting the special needs of economic and social development. This major focuses on cultivating interdisciplinary talent with the ability to research and develop new coffee products, new processes, and new technologies, as well as engineering design capabilities. The currently known courses include the online course "Enchanting Yunnan Coffee," as well as three offline courses: "Coffee Processing," "Coffee Blending," and "Coffee Roasting and Cupping."

This shows that this major not only focuses on solidifying students' theoretical foundation, but also requires them to master solid professional practical skills, so as to better adapt to the rapid development of the coffee industry and fill the gap in professional talent in the industry.

In recent years, the coffee market has continued to heat up and develop rapidly. Coffee shops have become important places for people to socialize and relax. Various coffee drinks are deeply loved by young people, and content sharing daily coffee routines and exchanging coffee culture is also commonly seen on social platforms.

Official data shows that last year China's coffee market size reached 600 billion yuan, and it is expected to maintain rapid growth in the coming years, with the scale expected to exceed 1 trillion yuan by 2025. China has become one of the major countries in coffee production, consumption, and cultivation, and coffee-related industries are showing a thriving scene.

(Video source: CCTV-1 official WeChat account)

However, an investigation by CCTV reporters found that on several major recruitment websites, coffee industry-related positions such as coffee trainers and head baristas are all showing a shortage of people. There is a contradiction between supply and demand in the coffee market and talent, and talent shortage has become the current state of the industry.

Local coffee practitioners in Yunnan also said that the current talent supply in Yunnan's coffee industry is uneven: the supply of talent in planting technology and agricultural management is relatively sufficient, but in specific fields such as coffee roasting and coffee processing techniques, the talent supply is clearly insufficient.

The reason for this situation may be that these fields involve relatively complex technology and professional knowledge, and require longer training and certain practical experience, with higher requirements for talent quality. The establishment of a coffee major by Yunnan Agricultural University may be able to systematically cultivate the coffee professional interdisciplinary talent needed by the current market, so as to alleviate the current shortage of talent in the market.

Image source: Yunnan Agricultural University official WeChat account

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.