Have you visited Starbucks recently? Without even knowing it, your coffee may have been brewed by Ayzad, a trained barista and graduate of Bettr's Work Training Programme (BWT). He graduated from the programme in July 2023, and was handpicked as one of the three valedictorians from that year’s graduating cohort. Like many graduates of BWT before him, Ayzad found joy in coffee-making and a supportive community at Bettr. He is identified as a potential candidate for Supervisor at his workplace.
Life Before Bettr
Today, Ayzad is fun-loving, easygoing, with a bubbly disposition, but it hasn’t always been like this.
One of his biggest insecurities, which kept Ayzad from socialising and constantly worried about judgement, was his weight.He felt so uncomfortable thinking about going out that he stayed in the safety and comfort of home, leading an isolated lifestyle for a young person. His self-confidence was rock bottom.
"I was feeling down and restless most of the time." His sleep was drastically affected by his lifestyle; often falling asleep only in the wee hours of the morning and waking up in the early evenings. After periods of inconsistent attendance at school, Ayzad eventually dropped out.
It was his counsellor then, who introduced him to Bettr’s Work Training Programme (BWT). After participating in a two-day Coffee Taster Day Camp, involving immersive and holistic training, Ayzad found himself drawn to the experience of expressing himself around people who cared and through coffee. He signed up for BWT to explore the possibility of becoming a certified barista.
However, his lifestyle and habits did not simply change overnight, despite his decision to try something different. His sleeping pattern, in particular, was a significant challenge for Ayzad during the initial stages of his BWT. The struggle to regulate his sleep cycle made it a constant battle to be punctual and remain alert during classes.
You’ve Got A Friend In Me
In recounting his BWT experience, Ayzad fondly talks about one of the trainers at Bettr Academy, Josephine (better known as Jo). Jo was the one who regularly woke him up during class when he dozed off, encouraged him to come punctually, and helped him to catch up with the material after class whenever he fell behind.
Ayzad recalled that he felt that people cared about him and did not give up on him. That spurred him to action, determined to fix his body clock. He practised sleeping early by utilising the unfamiliar fatigue from standing and working for hours, and by the end of BWT, he even showed up early for class. He also became more physically active, and his weight dropped and health improved during the course of just over two months. Going about his day seemed to have become easier and less tiring with each passing day. He started to feel better, look better, and was motivated to start working out more.
Without a doubt, Ayzad said his favourite person was Jo. Jo was a beneficiary of Bettr’s Holistic Training programme many years ago and one of the longest-standing trainers at Bettr giving back to the programme she benefited greatly from. Today, she remains a firm, yet supportive maternal figure to Ayzad.
The Turning Point
Ayzad recalled learning to create a Rosetta pattern during Latte Art class as a pivotal moment for him. He was the slowest learner to master the wrist movement, but instead of feeling impatient and frustrated that he was slowing down the pace of the class, his peers surrounded him with advice and encouragement. When he eventually got the hang of it, they all cheered! The way that the community responded to his delayed success allowed Ayzad to strengthen his trust in this community. It proved to him that there are people who wish him well and support his journey.
Meet Ayzad Today
It has been almost a year since he graduated from BWT, found a job at Starbucks with the help of Bettr’s Career Advisory team, and kept his job going. Ayzad walks with confidence and emits positivity.
“I am proud of myself, and people have told me that they are also proud of me”, he shared with a beam. Ayzad is happy with the direction he’s headed in his life. His family has observed exponential personal growth and Ayzad shared that they are proud to see him hold down a job, have a purpose, and become independent despite dropping out of school.
Ayzad credits his Bettr journey for his transformation. It is never too late to change the narrative of your life to be 100% Bettr.
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