From Barista to Boardroom: How Costa Coffee Built a Learning Culture That Drives Real Business Impact | L&D Disrupt | Episode 103

In this episode of L&D Disrupt, host Kelsey speaks with Ruth South, who leads Talent Development and Learning at Costa Coffee, about what it really takes to build a learning culture that drives business success and meaningful internal mobility. Ruth explains how Costa invests in apprenticeships, coffee craft, and centrally funded talent pathways that move people from barista to leadership roles , including transitions into the support centre across functions like data, digital, supply chain, and procurement. She shares how the team connects learning strategy to business outcomes, measuring impact through promotion rates and customer metrics like net promoter score, while getting the balance right between digital, face-to-face, and in-the-flow tools like skills cards next to the coffee machine. The conversation also covers leadership development through coaching programs and a CEO-sponsored global talent initiative, ongoing onboarding improvements, the realities of supporting a largely under-25 workforce, and Costa's evolving thinking on AI and the youth employment agenda. Ruth also shares her hot take for L&D teams: stop waiting for a seat at the table, start creating one.00:00 Create the Table01:31 Meet Ruth South02:24 Careers Beyond Transient04:08 Talent Programs Ecosystem05:10 Apprenticeships as Strategy06:24 Data Driven L&D Impact07:43 Learning Culture Stories09:02 Apprenticeship Playbook Tips10:59 Building Learning Community13:00 Managers Coaching Leadership15:53 Onboarding and Transitions20:46 Early Careers Skills Balance23:31 Self Serve Flow of Work27:34 Measuring ROI and Value30:17 Next Frontier AI Youth35:05 Hot Takes Start Stop36:14 Final Advice and Wrap