Take the Q - As a learning tool

The Q as an educational seminar - by Dan Streetman

I've been lucky in my career to be surrounded by great mentors.  They exposed me to industry standards, from the beginning. So, when I went to take the Q Arabica Grader test, I was totally nervous and intimidated.

How would I stack up? Was I worthy to be a coffee grader?  The whole process had been so built up for me, it was nerve wracking.  I also knew that almost no one passed without retakes.

Looking back I really wish someone had sat me down and said: "go take the course as a way to learn what you need to practice".

You see, one thing about the course is, no matter how much you prepare.  You really don't get the feedback of pass (or fail) until you do it.  In prepping for my Q, I felt like Le Nez du Cafe was hard, but I did not realize that I was only struggling with a few vials until I took the test and saw which ones I was missing consistently. It also helped me to learn that it is common for everyone to struggle with different parts of the test.

So, if you are Q curious, perhaps you should just take it and see what you can learn about yourself.  Then, come back and finish like we all have to do anyway.  It may prove to be one of the most valuable experiences of your career.

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