The Professional Bartending Academy, Richmond

Whether training students to helm the bar at a nightclub or just to wow guests at a private party, the experienced staff instructors at The Professional Bartending Academy champion the benefits of hands-on learning.

In semi-monthly classes, they walk groups of no more than 12 students through an overview of Virginia alcohol laws and mixology techniques. Various mixing exercises teach the methods for making classic and trendy cocktails. All classes are held at a fully functional training bar, which lends a realistic atmosphere to the training. That realistic environment, as well as the school's certification by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, helps students feel prepared to find work as bartenders. So does post-class job-placement assistance, and the center helped more than 70% of graduates find jobs in 2012.