The Northeast Technical Institute is a privately owned higher education institution with three campuses, two in Maine, at Scarborough and Bangor, and one in Massachusetts, at Haverhill. NTI's approach to learning is career-focused, with an emphasis on short courses. Professional training in bartending is offered at its Scarborough location. A fully-equipped bar is available, allowing students to practice their skills in an environment that emulates the professional workplace they intend to enter. A choice of study programs is available. Options include basic bartending skills, comprehensive mixology training that covers the making of over 150 different drinks, and a course that focuses on management aspects of the bar business. Training in responsible alcohol service is conducted through the TIPS program, which consists of a five-hour course leading to certification that is accepted by employers and state legislatures across most of the United States (see resource 7).
The New England Bartending Schools group is part of Professional Bartending Schools of America, a nationwide chain of independent providers of bartending training. Their school in Maine runs 2-day bartending courses at the Best Western Merry Manor Inn on Route 1 in South Portland. The course combines instruction in hands-on drink preparation skills, taught behind a real hotel bar, with interview training and preparation for certification in responsible alcohol service. Further practical experience is available at other locations operated by New England Bartending Schools in Massachusetts. NEBS provides responsible server education in the form of the ServSafe program. Like TIPS, this is a nationwide scheme; certification gained under ServSafe is valid in all states except Delaware, Hawaii and New Mexico (see resource 9). Participation in the ServSafe program with NEBS costs $30 in addition to course fees, which currently stand at $149.
If you're prepared to travel beyond Maine itself, you can access a greater range of bartending training providers. New Hampshire and Massachusetts are both well-served by bartending schools. The Boston Bartenders School operates campuses in Nashua, New Hampshire, and Dracut, Massachusetts, the Professional School of Bartending has a branch in Brockton, Massachusetts, and Drinkmaster Bartending School has two locations in Massachussetts. Master Bartender School has been operating in Newmarket, New Hampshire since 1980, and the Boston Bartenders School of America group operates 11 campuses across the New England region. With so many options in neighboring states, if Maine's bartending schools don't offer quite the training you require, there's a good chance that an institution just across the state line may provide what you're looking for.
In Maine, official certification is not absolutely mandatory for alcohol servers. However, the Liquor Liability Act makes clear the potential legal importance of valid server education courses in cases where a bartender or employer has been accused of reckless or negligent sale of alcohol. Most employers will therefore require that bartenders achieve certification, either through the state's own alcohol licensing board or national schemes such as those offered by both New England Bartending Schools and the Northern Technical Institute. Although certification is an optional part of both schools' programs, it is highly recommended if you intend to use your new bartending skills in the workplace.
While attending a bartending school might help you achieve responsible server certification, it is not necessary. Online providers of server education are also endorsed by the Maine state legislature. If you already have bartending skills and simply want to attain certification, this may be a more cost-effective option.
You should also ensure that the certification you receive will be valid in the state where you wish to work as a bartender. Thankfully the schemes offered by both NEBS and NTI enjoy almost total nationwide acceptance, but some restrictions still apply in certain states. Furthermore, if the bartending school you choose to attend does not offer a nationally-accredited program such as TIPS or ServSafe, but does claim to provide certification, check that what is offered will allow you to pursue your ultimate goals. This may be particularly important if you do choose to pursue your bartending training out-of-state; certification granted in New Hampshire or Massachusetts may not be valid in Maine.