Volunteer at World of coffee

Thank you for your interest in getting involved at #WOCSANDIEGO

We are thrilled that you are interested in getting involved! World of Coffee relies on over 500 volunteers and contractors filling thousands of hours of support each year to make the show happen. We invite you to join our team in Houston!

There are several ways to get involved at World of Coffee:

Volunteer for 3-4 general shifts.
Apply to be a station instructor.
Apply for a contracted role.
Apply to judge the Best New Product competition or the Coffee Design Awards.

Getting involved as
a volunteer

Volunteering is more than just lending a hand. It's an opportunity to learn, grow and also give back to the community you feel most passionate about. Volunteering fosters relationships with people from around the world that share similar interests. It's the perfect opportunity to help the coffee industry flourish. And not to mention, you can earn a free 3-Day World of Coffee Volunteer badge in exchange.

What does it take to earn a volunteer badge?

Attendees who commit to work the minimum number of hours can earn a complimentary badge.* Members of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) who register for the 3-Day World of Coffee Volunteer badge must commit to a minimum of three (3) shifts. Volunteers who are not members of SCA who register for the 3-Day World of Coffee Volunteer badge must commit to a minimum of four (4) shifts. The average shift is four (4) hours long.

SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER

We offer a 3-day World of Coffee badge in exchange for volunteering for four (4) shifts. (If you are a paid member of the SCA, or tied to a company membership, you are only required to volunteer for 3 shifts). Not sure if you're eligible? Contact us here to find out.

Volunteers are responsible for all expenses related to food, lodging and travel.

Apply Now

APPLY TO BE A VOLUNTEER STATION INSTRUCTOR

Those who station instruct for one class receive a 1-day World of Coffee badge. Those who station instruct for two classes receive a 3-day World of Coffee badge.

Workshops are hands-on interactive sessions that allow a deep dive into a variety of topics relevant to coffee professionals, approximately 3 hours in length, and instructed by subject matter experts, from a variety of backgrounds.
Workshops do not provide SCA Education program credit. Workshops are designed to complement the suite of SCA Education Programs (Coffee Skills Program, Coffee Sustainability Program, and Coffee Technicians Program).
SCA Authorized SCA Trainers (ASTs) can receive Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credit for attending, leading, or station instructing workshops.
Station instructors are required to report for their workshop one hour prior to start time and be available up to 30 minutes after, as needed.
They are responsible for reviewing lesson plans and participating in a pre-workshop call. They will support the lead instructor by delivering workshop content in a small group setting, for example: demonstrating dialing-in espresso, facilitating a cupping, or prepping sensory references.

If you’re interested in being a station instructor, we invite you to apply by February 20, 2026.

Apply Now to be a Station Instructor

EVENT WORKERS APPLICATION

Become part of the organizing team that is putting on World of Coffee in San Diego! The SCA is looking for people who would like to be contracted in event worker roles for World of Coffee. These positions require a greater time commitment but are perfect for specialty coffee professionals that are open for leadership and would like to be more involved with the behind-the-scenes support of the show.

Who can apply for event worker roles?
Coffee professionals who are 18 and older are invited to apply for open contracted roles at World of Coffee. The shifts for event worker roles span from April 10-12, 2025. There are different event worker roles open on the application that require different skill sets and time commitments.

Event Worker positions are available, for example, to help with Workshops, Coffee Service and Lectures.

Applications will open later in 2026.

BEST NEW PRODUCT JUDGE APPLICATION

Get involved by judging the Best New Product Competition. Judges will receive a 3-day World of Coffee badge in exchange for this time commitment, and will also be recognized on the website.

Who should apply?

People in the industry with at least 10 years of experience
People with no conflict of interest with entrants
People with availability to judge as outlined below

What am I judging?

You can choose to judge for products in the following categories:

Additives and Non-Coffee Beverages (tasting required) OR
Accessories, Commercial Coffee Equipment, Consumer Coffee Equipment, and Open Class

What is the time commitment?

Judges for Accessories, Commercial Coffee, Consumer Coffee, and Open Class will commit to judging the top entries in each category online before the show, as well as to one 5-hour in-person judging session at World of Coffee
Judges for Additives and Non-Coffee Beverages will commit to reviewing all submissions online prior to World of Coffee and to one 5-hour in-person judging session. DEADLINE TO APPLY: TBA

Coming Soon