Core Competencies (Required)
Apprentices start by building foundational job skills behind the bar, in the classroom, and through mentorship. These core competencies cover:
- Barista and hospitality training
- Workplace professionalism
- Digital literacy
- Self-awareness and growth
- Cultural navigation and systems knowledge
- Career readiness
Apprentices start by learning the basics of customer service in the cashier position, including handling money, taking orders, making drip coffee and tea, food prep and safety, and understanding the flow of the coffee bar. They also begin weekly life-skills classes and are paired with a mentor for guidance and support. Once they pass their cashier test, they move into barista training, learning skills like pulling espresso, steaming milk, and creating latte art.
Each apprentice progresses at their own pace. Once core competencies are completed, they can choose to continue into one of our specialized pathways.
Optional Pathways (Choose One)
These hands-on learning tracks offer deeper skills and paid hours in a specific area of interest. Apprentices receive individualized support through coaching, field trips, and applied projects along with a pay raise. Additional pathways (like Community Engagement and Coffee Industry) will open soon. Our program uses rolling entry—which means apprentices can start when there’s an open spot and stay for up to 18 months, based on their goals and needs. Most apprentices complete the program in 10–12 months.
Café Management
Learn team leadership, shop operations, inventory, and conflict resolution.
Entrepreneurship
Build a small business idea from the ground up with training in marketing, budgeting, and production.
The Outcomes
We measure success through outcomes that research shows are essential to achieving our long-term impact goal:
“Refugees and immigrants secure meaningful and sustainable employment, experience economic mobility, and belong in strong, diverse communities.”
The following four core outcomes reflect Arboretum Coffee’s commitment to empowering refugees and immigrants through our apprenticeship program:
- Social Capital: By the end of the apprenticeship, 85% of apprentices increase their social capital, building meaningful relationships and networks within the community.
- Earning Power: 70% of apprentices strengthen essential workplace skills and leadership abilities, positioning them for stable, dignified employment. Additionally, 85% secure above-minimum wage jobs or pursue higher education upon graduation, supporting their long-term economic mobility.
- Cultural Navigation: 80% of apprentices reach their priority cultural integration goals by the end of the program, gaining the confidence and skills to navigate both local and professional communities.
- Holistic Healing: 70% of apprentices experience holistic growth—mental, emotional, and spiritual—during their apprenticeship, fostering resilience and well-being.
These outcomes are essential to building a Fort Collins where refugees and immigrants can fully participate, succeed, and feel a sense of belonging.
The Problem
While Northern Colorado has a strong welcoming spirit toward refugees and immigrants, there is a lack of targeted support to address their unique challenges. The national refugee resettlement system, limited by scarce resources and a one-size-fits-all approach, often struggles to help refugees fully adapt and thrive. As a result, many refugees are forced into minimum-wage jobs, often in unsafe environments like meat-packing plants. These roles are typically low-paying, isolating, and lack growth opportunities, leaving families to choose between immediate survival and long-term development.
At Arboretum Coffee, we aim to bridge this gap. We believe that to break the cycle of low-wage, dead-end jobs, employers need to offer quality work that fosters career growth and builds meaningful social connections. That’s why we provide more than just employment—we create a pathway to career development in a dignified and supportive environment. Our model is centered on holistic support, meaning we go beyond job training to provide mentorship, education, and resources that support refugees and immigrants in all areas of life—from career skills to personal well-being.
We believe in fostering community integration by creating a welcoming environment where refugees and immigrants can connect, share their stories, and become active, supported members of the community. Through this approach, we bridge cultures and build a more inclusive community.
Donate to Our Apprenticeship Program
An apprenticeship in Arboretum Coffee costs approximately $19,200 per apprentice. The internal certifications, in-the-moment coaching, and professional development mirror a year of technical college. Not only that, but apprentices are paid to focus on learning English and other core skills, learning the culture of their new city, and building relationships with committed community members. Arboretum graduates are equipped to enter a career, whatever that career may be, and have built a foundation to transform our city through empowered communities.
All in all? Our fundraising goal is $325,000, all of which goes directly into our program.
Revenue from our coffeeshop covers the additional costs of running a nonprofit enterprise, including rent, utilities, and backend software and supplies.
Gifts from generous donors, like you, pay for the top notch training, support, job development, cultural integration, social capital building, and healing needed for an apprentice to experience sustained economic mobility.
Join us today in fueling apprenticeship and creating a more equitable economy and, ultimately, community.