Electrical Foundation
Switches, heating elements, autofill and safety devices. Learn to test with a multimeter and bring a machine up safely.
What you'll learn →
SCA Coffee Technicians Program · Melbourne
Become the Technician Every Café Calls
Hands-on courses in Melbourne that teach you how espresso machines, batch brewers and grinders really work, and how to keep them running. Certified by the Specialty Coffee Association.
Certified SCA TrainerSCA certificate on completionSmall groups in Melbourne
Certified SCA Trainer
Taught by Jovica “Joe” Nakov, Authorised SCA Trainer for the Coffee Technicians Program, 2025–2028.
Certificate on Completion
Pass the written and practical exams and you receive an official SCA certificate, recognised worldwide.
Hands-On Training
Real espresso machines, batch brewers and grinders on the bench, with all tools provided.
Foundation courses
Start With the Foundations
Three courses, each with an SCA certificate. No experience needed, and you can take them in any order.
Hydraulics Foundation
Pumps, valves, boilers and heat exchangers. Follow the water from the mains to the cup in espresso machines and batch brewers.
What you'll learn →
Water & Preventive Maintenance
Test water, choose the right treatment, and plan the maintenance that keeps scale and corrosion out of machines.
What you'll learn →
Course dates
Upcoming Courses
Small classes, taught in person in Melbourne. Places are limited.
Coming2027
Intermediate & Advanced courses
Diagnostics & Repair · Water Treatment · Advanced Equipment Support
Every course ends with an SCA certificate when you pass. Dates are set for each group. Send an enquiry and you'll get the next available dates.
Pricing
Foundation Course Fees
One price per course with everything included. No extra charges for materials.
Electrical Foundation
Circuits, components and safe testing
$850AUD per person
- SCA certificate on completion
- Printed course material
- Practical test materials
- Online written exam and practical exam
- Minimum 9 hours, hands-on
- Machines and tools provided
Hydraulics Foundation
Pumps, boilers, valves and water paths
$850AUD per person
- SCA certificate on completion
- Printed course material
- Practical test materials
- Online written exam and practical exam
- Minimum 7 hours, hands-on
- Machines and tools provided
Water & Preventive Maintenance
Water treatment and maintenance
$850AUD per person
- SCA certificate on completion
- Printed course material
- Practical test materials
- Online written exam and practical exam
- Minimum 9 hours, hands-on
- Machines and tools provided
Course details
What Each Course Covers
Every course mixes theory with bench work, then finishes with an online written exam and a hands-on practical exam.
Electrical Foundation
Coffee machine electrical systems and how to work on them safely
Electrical Foundation
Coffee machine electrical systems and how to work on them safely
By the end you will be able to
- Identify the electrical parts in espresso machines, batch brewers and grinders
- Explain how the heating element, brewing and autofill circuits work
- Describe the dangers of electrical work and follow the right safety steps
- Measure voltage, continuity and resistance safely with a multimeter
- Fit a plug to a cord, confirm power at the outlet and start a machine safely
- Length
- Minimum 9 hours
- Written
- 30 questions, 70% to pass
- Practical
- 45 minutes, 70% to pass, every section must pass
Nine sections
- 1.01Workplace safety practices
- 1.02Electrical components
- 1.03Electrical systems
- 1.04In-circuit safety devices
- 1.05Electrical theory
- 1.06Safety practices: electrical circuits
- 1.07Electrical testing
- 1.08Conductors and connections
- 1.09Connection to electrical service
Hydraulics Foundation
How water moves through espresso machines and batch brewers
Hydraulics Foundation
How water moves through espresso machines and batch brewers
By the end you will be able to
- Name the hydraulic parts: pump, check valve, flowmeter, gicleur, expansion valve and group
- Follow the water path in single, dual and multi-boiler machines
- Explain heat exchangers and thermosiphon circulation
- Identify steam system safety parts: safety valve, anti-vacuum valve, pressurestat
- Use the right plumbing fittings and connect a machine to water service
- Length
- Minimum 7 hours
- Written
- Online exam
- Practical
- Bench exam, every section must pass
What we cover
- 1Key concepts of machine and brewer hydraulics
- 2Hydraulic components of a coffee machine
- 3Single, dual and multi-boiler circuits
- 4Hydraulic components of a batch brewer
- 5Hydraulic circuit of a batch brewer
- 6Fundamentals of hydrodynamics
- 7Plumbing fittings
- 8Connection to service
Water & Preventive Maintenance Foundation
Water treatment and the maintenance that keeps machines alive
Water & Preventive Maintenance Foundation
Water treatment and the maintenance that keeps machines alive
By the end you will be able to
- Test incoming water and explain hardness, alkalinity and TDS
- Describe common water treatment systems and what they do
- Carry out routine maintenance on a water treatment system
- Spot wear parts in an espresso machine, batch brewer and grinder
- Plan a preventive maintenance program and do the basic steps on all three machines
- Length
- Minimum 9 hours
- Written
- 30 questions, 32 minutes, 70% to pass
- Practical
- 60 minutes, 70% to pass, every section must pass
What we cover
- 1Workplace safety practices
- 2Water treatment system components
- 3Key water parameters
- 4Water quality recommendations
- 5Water treatment methods
- 6Measuring water composition
- 7Water treatment system maintenance
- 8Preventive maintenance components
- 9Maintenance strategies, tools and supplies
- 10Performing maintenance
Coming in 2027
Your Path to Advanced
Intermediate and Advanced courses arrive in Melbourne next year. The Foundation courses you take now are the prerequisites.
Foundation
Enrolling now- Electrical FoundationMin. 9 hours
- Hydraulics FoundationMin. 7 hours
- Water & PM FoundationMin. 9 hours
Intermediate
2027
Intermediate Diagnostics & RepairMin. 32 hours · needs Electrical + Hydraulics
Intermediate Water TreatmentMin. 16 hours · needs Water & PM
Advanced
2027
Advanced Equipment SupportMin. 32 hours · needs both Intermediate courses
Official courses of the Specialty Coffee Association's Coffee Technicians Program, taught by an Authorised SCA Trainer. Pass both exams and you receive an SCA certificate.
Inside the course
From the Bench and the Notes
Your trainer
Meet Jovica “Joe” Nakov
Authorised SCA Trainer for the Coffee Technicians Program, with more than twelve years on the tools as a coffee machine technician.
Every course is taught by Joe in person, in small groups, using the same machines and fault-finding methods used on real café call-outs.
Authorised SCA TrainerTechnician since 2013All CTechP levelsMelbourne, VIC
Read Joe's background and qualifications
Joe has worked on commercial espresso machines and grinders since 2013, starting as a machine maintenance technician in Skopje and today leading technical service as Head Coffee Machine Technician for an international coffee roaster in Melbourne. The work covers workshop repairs, on-site emergency call-outs, new machine installations, preventive maintenance programs and parts management, across brands including La Marzocco, La Cimbali, Faema, Rancilio, Astoria, Wega and Slayer.
Training has always run alongside the technical work. Joe was appointed a trainer in the Lavazza Training Center Network in Turin in 2015, has coached baristas and technicians for over a decade, and holds every level of the SCA Coffee Technicians Program, from the three Foundation courses through Intermediate Diagnostics & Repair and Water Treatment to Advanced Equipment Support. In 2025 Joe became an Authorised SCA Trainer for the program.
An electrical engineering background, a restricted electrical licence, a low risk pressure vessel certificate and manufacturer training with La Marzocco, Rancilio and Simonelli Group mean every lesson draws on real field experience. Joe started Torque & Bean Academy to pass those skills on: small groups, real machines on the bench, and teaching built around the jobs cafés actually call a technician for.
“Asking for help is not the expensive option.” From the safety section that opens every course
All courses on this site are from the SCA Coffee Technicians Program. Joe's trade licences, manufacturer training and other SCA certificates are listed as background.
SCA Coffee Technicians Program
- Authorised SCA Trainer2025–2028
- ElectricalFoundation
- HydraulicsFoundation
- Water & Preventive MaintenanceFoundation
- Diagnostics & RepairIntermediate
- Water TreatmentIntermediate
- Advanced Equipment SupportAdvanced
Trade licences
- Restricted Electrical LicenceElectrical work on appliances like coffee machines
- Low Risk Pressure VesselCertificate
Manufacturer training
- La MarzoccoTechnical training
- RancilioTechnical training
- Simonelli GroupTechnical training
Background · other SCA certificates
- Barista SkillsFoundation · Intermediate · Professional
- BrewingFoundation · Intermediate · Professional
- Sensory SkillsFoundation · Intermediate
- RoastingFoundation
- Coffee SustainabilityFoundation
- CVA for CuppersCoffee Value Assessment
Not Sure Where to Start?
Tell us what you do now and where you want to get to. You'll get a recommendation for which course to take first, plus the next dates.
Questions
Before You Book
Do I need any experience?
No. The Foundation courses start from the basics and have no prerequisites.
Which course should I take first?
Any of the three. If you plan to move on to Intermediate Diagnostics & Repair in 2027, you will need both Electrical and Hydraulics. Intermediate Water Treatment needs Water & Preventive Maintenance.
How are the exams run?
Each course ends with an online written exam and a hands-on practical exam. You need 70% on each, and every section of the practical must be passed.
Will I get a certificate?
Yes. Pass both exams and you receive a Specialty Coffee Association certificate for that course, which counts toward the full Coffee Technicians Program.
What is included in the price?
Each Foundation course includes your online written exam and practical exam, your SCA certificate on completion, printed course material, and all the practical test materials. Machines and tools are provided during the course.
Do I need to bring tools?
No. Machines, tools and testing equipment are provided during the course.
Does this course give me an electrical or plumbing licence?
No. The courses teach you to work safely on coffee equipment. Fixed electrical work and connecting to the mains water supply are licensed trades in Victoria, and the course covers what must go to a licensed electrician or plumber.