Breweries Thirsty For Fresh Central Washington Craft Beer Grads

A degree program in craft brewing is in its second year at Central Washington University and beer school graduates are in high demand in a market that’s growing rapidly.
In fact, program Director Steve Wagner said whether students complete a certificate or the bachelor’s degree, the school can’t meet the market’s demand for brewers.

“Basically, breweries contact us pretty often looking for students to work at breweries and sometimes during the year, since students are in school, we can’t fulfill all the placements,” Wagner said. “This is a really good time to be a craft brewing student and to get jobs.”

According to the Brewer’s Association, there are nearly 4,300 craft breweries operating in the United States, a number that rose 15 percent between 2014 and 2015 alone.

Read more of this story at Northwest Public Radio.

Photo by Emily Schwing/Northwest News Network

October 17, 2016