Australia’s Murri school students turn coffee into career opportunities

A student-run coffee cart at Brisbane’s Aboriginal and Islander Independent Community School is serving up something far more valuable than coffee: practical workplace experience, confidence and a pathway to future employment.

Known as Cuppaderlah, the initiative at The Murri School in Acacia Ridge is giving students in Years 7 to 12 an opportunity to experience the realities of running a business while developing skills that extend well beyond the classroom. Established with support from Queensland Country Bank’s Good for Good Community Grants program, the coffee cart operates much like a professional café. Students handle customer orders, manage stock, use EFTPOS facilities, follow operational checklists and issue loyalty cards, gaining first-hand experience of everyday business responsibilities.

At the heart of the initiative are two Year 12 students who oversee daily operations, mentor younger participants, coordinate shifts and ensure customers receive a welcoming service. Their customers include teachers, families, local tradespeople, university students and members of the wider community. For the school, which is celebrating 40 years of Indigenous-led education in 2026 and received national recognition through the 2026 NAIDOC Education Awards, Cuppaderlah reflects a broader commitment to preparing young people for life and work beyond school. Vocational Education and Training Coordinator Samantha Daragnes said the coffee cart was proving to be an effective way of helping students translate classroom learning into practical experience.

“Our students excel when they’re learning practical skills and can actually see themselves in a real-life workplace,” Ms Daragnes said. She added the initiative provided a supportive environment in which students could learn at their own pace while taking on responsibilities associated with a real business. Beyond developing barista skills, students are learning cash handling, customer service, problem-solving, time management and teamwork. They are also gaining experience in communicating with customers, managing pressure and responding to unexpected situations.

Equally important, Ms Daragnes said, was the confidence, self-awareness and sense of belonging students were developing through the experience. These skills, she added, would serve them well in future workplaces and everyday life. The initiative also supports students pursuing Certificate II in Hospitality, allowing them to complete practical components of their qualification through hands-on participation. The school is recruiting additional students as the current Year 12 leaders prepare to graduate, helping ensure the programme continues.

Culture at the heart of learning

Cuppaderlah is not simply a vocational training project. Its identity is closely tied to the school's cultural values and community. The name was chosen by the school community, while its distinctive artwork was created by respected community member Aunty Samantha Bond. Both reflect the school's guiding principle: “Our Children, Our Culture, Our Future”.

Ms Daragnes said this philosophy shaped the initiative, bringing together cultural identity, student achievement and preparation for the future. Students are discovering that running a café involves much more than preparing coffee. From conducting stocktakes and managing money to ordering supplies and taking responsibility for daily operations, they are gaining exposure to business skills that can open doors to future employment and entrepreneurship.

The coffee cart has also become a regular presence at school and community events, including Acacia Ridge NAIDOC celebrations, health expos, International Women's Day and the upcoming Modern Ochre Art Exhibition 2026. Ms Daragnes said the Queensland Country Bank grant had helped the school turn a long-standing ambition into a much bigger opportunity for its students.

Having its own coffee cart had been a goal for the school for years, she said, and the funding had enabled it to create an initiative that brings the community together while giving young people meaningful learning experiences. The results are already becoming visible, with students demonstrating stronger leadership and developing the skills needed to make a successful transition into employment.

Community investment creating lasting opportunities

Queensland Country Bank Chief Executive Officer Aaron Newman said Cuppaderlah demonstrated how community investment could translate into meaningful opportunities for young people. He said the project brought together education, culture, community engagement and practical employment skills through an initiative that allowed students to take responsibility and recognise their own potential.

Mr Newman said the students were learning far more than how to prepare coffee. They were gaining experience in business operations, customer relations, teamwork and workplace responsibilities. As a customer-owned bank, he said, Queensland Country Bank believed that investing in communities meant investing in their future, particularly by supporting young people.

He added that the bank was proud its Good for Good Community Grants programme had helped The Murri School turn a long-held ambition into a practical and sustainable learning opportunity. The school plans to reinvest proceeds from the coffee cart into its continued operation and future vocational learning programmes, ensuring more students can benefit from the experience.

For the young people behind Cuppaderlah, every order served and every customer welcomed is another opportunity to build confidence, discover their abilities and prepare for the world beyond school.