Diageo’s Learning Skills for Life Bartending Training Program Expands into Washington, DC

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2017 /3BL Media/ – Diageo, a global leader in beverage alcohol, is proud to announce the expansion of its Learning Skills for Life bartending program into Washington, DC.  The program, designed to train unemployed and underemployed individuals, provides both the life and business skills needed to secure employment in the hospitality industry. Diageo has partnered with wholesaler Breakthru Beverage Washington, DC and the office of Washington, DC Deputy Mayor for Greater Economic Opportunity Courtney R. Snowden as co-sponsors for the course, which focuses on training local unemployed residents and veterans in bartending. Diageo graduated the first class from the Washington, DC cohort last week.

“Learning Skills for Life is an exceptional program that affects powerful change in communities, and we are thrilled to bring it to Washington, DC,” said Dr. Danielle Robinson, Diageo’s Alcohol Policy Director.  “We selected DC because of the need for trained responsible servers in the District, as well as the existing workforce development programs the District of Columbia has put in place.  We are focused on providing training for residents by offering them new skills for the next chapter of their lives.”

The inaugural Washington, DC Learning Skills for Life class began in January of this year and included 19 students. The class was comprised of local unemployed residents and veterans. Learning Skills for Life launched its first US program in 2014 at Diageo’s North American headquarters in Norwalk, Connecticut, and most recently expanded to Houston, Texas and Arkansas in 2015. The program in North America is based on similar programs funded by Diageo since 2008 throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, Scotland, Germany, Ireland, and South Africa, and represents Diageo’s continued dedication to offering underserved individuals the opportunity to gain employment and positively contribute to their communities. Diageo has had more than 115,000 graduates globally in its Learning for Life Program.  

Deputy Mayor Courtney R. Snowden said, “We are pleased to welcome Diageo’s Learning Skills for Life program to DC.” She continued, “This program is aligned with our focus on providing our city’s residents, especially veterans and residents in overlooked and underserved communities with applicable skills and long-term career opportunities. The value of Learning Skills for Life is already evident through the jobs it has already secured for some of its graduates, as well as the confidence it instills in each of its students.”

Kevin Dunn, Breakthru Beverage Group’s East Region President stated, “Diageo is a great partner to have in both business and our community.” He added, “Breakthru is proud to sponsor Learning Skills for Life and support these very deserving and hard-working candidates as they enter the hospitality industry.”

During the three-week program, students, who are all over 21 years of age, received intensive training in bartending. Additionally, participants were taught valuable life skills such as managing personal finances, interviewing, working in a team environment, and writing resumes and cover letters.  Six students have already secured employment in bartending while others continue to interview and look forward to kicking off their hospitality careers.

Learning Skills for Life DC is accepting applications for the next class, and the Diageo and Breakthru teams have already begun discussions with local businesses for graduate placement opportunities. Candidates interested in being considered for Learning Skills for Life DC, or organizations interested in partnering with the program, may contact Sherone Mullings, Program Manager, at 203-919-6461 or Sherone.mullings@diageo.com.

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan’s whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

Follow us on Twitter for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.

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About Breakthru Beverage Group

Breakthru Beverage was formed by joining substantial holdings of The Charmer Sunbelt Group and Wirtz Beverage Group. The company employs more than 7,000 associates and has operations across the US and Canada. For more information, visit BreakthruBev.com.