Hearing-impaired trainees drink to graduating from special bartending course
Five have qualified to be professional bartenders; course offered to 20 people with hearing problems to teach them skills in working behind the bar
A group of hearing-impaired people have undergone a special training programme to qualify as bartenders.
The programme, launched by the Junior Chamber International Peninsula in April, offered six-week courses to 20 people with hearing problems. The first five of the trainees have now graduated from the programme, and have also got internships at local restaurants to gain work experience.
Chan Heng-fai was among the first batch of professional bartenders to emerge from the programme. The 34-year-old, who had worked as a repairman on the mainland, said through a sign language interpreter that he would like to become a full-time bartender if given the chance.
Despite Chan’s limited hearing ability, he had no difficulties in making cocktails when he was doing his internship in a local bar.
Chan said he communicated with clients and colleagues through simple gestures and a smartphone. “[Learning] English [terms] is the most difficult part,” Chan said, as there were too many such phrases in bartending to remember. He also said he occasionally made the wrong drink because of miscommunication.