Owners & managers – We all realize there is no substitute for experience, which is why my school is set up as a completely functioning “On the Job” training facility.  I am frequently asked, 1.  “How can you know if the drink is made right when you don’t use real alcohol?  The answer is - we deal with exact pours, just like you do in your bar.  Whether you pour water or vodka  – the measurement is the same. 
2.  "How can you have confidence in someone who has only two-weeks of experience/training? It’s all a matter of perception!  I understand your concern…it is like having a two-week graduate from auto mechanic school taking a look at your car!  The first impression is – no way in hell do I want them to even touch my car.  But if I learn that they actually specialized in knowing all about my type of car, all the little subtleties & noises it may make and how to repair it – then my attitude changes & by all means, please take a look at my vehicle.  That is how I run my curriculum!…..All the techniques, happy hour drills, advice & suggestions from other bartenders and managers, scenarios, everything I have ever learned over my twenty years in this profession - is passed down to them. 
3.  Then to ensure you get a quality, competent candidate - I test them on their comprehension of recipes, pouring accuracy, time it takes to make the drinks, different alcohol categories & legalities of server intervention techniques, all registered with the state of california! 
4.  If all that still doesn’t make you feel confident, I encourage you to bring all your candidates, students or not, to my school and throw them behind the bar and have them show you their skill.  This should help take all the guess work out of making the decision on who would best fit into your establishment.

Cheers to continuing success!
John