Specialty Coffee Association Launches WCC Judge Skills Program
The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is proud to announce the launch of the World Coffee Championships (WCC) Judge Skills Program, a new educational initiative designed to equip coffee professionals with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to pursue becoming a World Coffee Championships Judge. Following a successful pilot event hosted in Brazil in November 2024, this program has officially moved under the official portfolio of SCA Educational offerings.
The WCC Judge Skills Program offers participants an in-depth understanding of the WCC's judging process, scoring systems, and competition rules. The curriculum integrates the latest WCC Rules & Regulations and the Coffee Value Assessment system, reflecting the SCA's commitment to up-to-date, research-informed education.
Structured as an in-person course, the program is led by certified WCC Representatives and hosted in coffee hubs around the world—making it easier for professionals to access high-quality training locally. This approach ensures both global accessibility and regionally relevant instruction.Structured as an in-person educational course, the WCC Judge Skills Program is led by certified WCC Representatives around the world. These local-level events are hosted in coffee hubs across various regions, making it easier than ever for professionals to access high-quality training without international travel. This structure not only makes the program globally accessible, but also ensures a localized, culturally relevant experience for each attendee.
Each event delivers a consistent and comprehensive curriculum, grounded in the latest WCC Rules & Regulations and the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) system. Participants in the WCC Judge Skills Program receive hands-on practice and real-world judging scenarios designed to build confidence, clarify the evaluation process, and elevate judging standards across the board.
The program is ideal for:
Current Competition Body judges looking to advance to the World stage
Competitors seeking insight into judging and scoring
Coffee professionals interested in the WCC framework
Participants receive hands-on instruction and practical exercises that mirror real-world judging scenarios. The experience is designed to demystify the evaluation process, build confidence, and elevate the standards of judging across the board.
This program is ideal for current Competition Body-level judges aspiring to judge at the World Coffee Championships, competitors seeking insight into scoring, and coffee professionals interested in the World Coffee Championships framework. Upon completion, participants will receive an official WCC Judge Skills Certificate of Participation.
By creating a standardized entry point into the WCC judging pathway, the WCC Judge Skills Program helps raise the bar globally for competition judges and creates new opportunities for involvement within the specialty coffee community.
Interested individuals can find upcoming events and more information below.