The Butler Academy
Official name: Personal Butler, three levels
The art of private service, in three levels. Start with the foundations of butler service, grow into a professional butler, then lead a household as a head butler or household manager.
LevelsFoundation, Professional, Head Butler
Length3 to 5 days per level
You receiveInjongo certificate per level
CATHSSETA-accredited provider 613/P/00381/2022 · Three levels of private service · Villas, lodges and private homes · Jeffreys Bay to Oudtshoorn
Why this course
Service at the highest level
Private homes, luxury villas and lodges need people who anticipate every need, quietly and perfectly.
Get hired
A premium role
Butlers work in private homes, luxury villas, exclusive lodges and estates.
Grow step by step
Three clear levels
Start at Foundation and grow to Head Butler and household manager.
Be trusted
Discretion is everything
Families and guests trust a butler with their home, their time and their privacy.
The outcome
What you will be able to do
Across the three levels you learn to:
Receive guests and look after them with warmth and discretion
Serve tea, coffee and drinks correctly
Set a table and serve formal meals, including silver service
Serve wine and cocktails
Care for clothes: pressing, shoe polishing, packing and unpacking luggage
Clean and care for silver, glass and crystal
Run morning routines and evening turndown
Plan itineraries, bookings and transport for the household
Host dinner parties and events
Lead household staff and set standards
Manage household budgets, stock and suppliers
Follow etiquette and protocol for VIP and international guests
A day in service
From morning tray to turndown
1 · Morning
The morning
Prepare the breakfast tray or table, open the curtains and share the day's plan.
Butler tipKnow your principal's preferences before they have to ask.
2 · Valet
Valet
Lay out clothes, check that they are pressed and shoes are polished.
Butler tipCheck the weather and the day's events before you choose.
3 · House
The household check
Walk through the house: flowers, rooms, supplies and anything that needs fixing.
Butler tipFix small problems before anyone notices them.
4 · Guests
Receiving guests
Welcome guests at the door, take coats and offer a drink.
Butler tipRemember each guest's name and preferred drink.
5 · Lunch
Lunch service
Set the table and serve lunch to the household's standard.
Butler tipServe quietly. The best service is barely noticed.
6 · Afternoon
Plans and errands
Confirm bookings, transport and deliveries for the days ahead.
Butler tipKeep a written list. Never trust memory alone.
7 · Dinner
Dinner service
Set a formal table, serve wine and courses, and look after every guest.
Butler tipWatch the table, not the room.
8 · Turndown
Evening turndown
Prepare bedrooms for the night, close up the house and check security.
Butler tipEnd every day by preparing for tomorrow.
What you learn
Three levels
Each level builds on the one before. Open any topic to see what it covers.
3 levels
22 topics
3–5 days per level
Level 1
Foundation · 3 days
The role of a butler
What a butler does, working with a family or principal, and professional conduct.
Discretion and confidentiality
Protecting the privacy of the household and its guests.
Receiving guests
Greeting, coats, introductions and looking after guests.
Tea, coffee and drinks service
Preparing and serving tea, coffee and simple drinks correctly.
Table setting and basic service
Setting a table for different meals and serving at the table.
Valet basics
Pressing, shoe polishing and caring for clothes.
Morning and evening routines
Breakfast trays, curtains, turndown and closing the house.
Level 2
Professional · 4 days
Formal dining and silver service
Formal table settings, silver service and serving courses.
Wine and cocktail service
Presenting, opening and serving wine, and mixing classic drinks.
Wardrobe and luggage
Wardrobe care, packing and unpacking for travel.
Silver, glass and crystal
Cleaning, polishing and storing fine tableware.
Itineraries and bookings
Planning days, booking restaurants, transport and activities.
Deliveries and suppliers
Receiving deliveries, checking quality and dealing with suppliers.
Dinner parties and events
Planning and serving dinner parties and small events at home.
Level 3
Head Butler & Household Manager · 5 days
Leading household staff
Rosters, training, standards and a happy team.
Budgets and stock
Household budgets, inventories and ordering.
Property care
Planning maintenance and working with contractors.
Large events and functions
Planning and running bigger events at the home or estate.
Security and emergencies
Keeping the household safe and planning for emergencies.
Etiquette and protocol
Protocol for VIP and international guests.
Technology in the household
Using digital tools and AI assistants for schedules, travel and records.
Your career as a butler
Standards, development and the next step in private service.
A taste of the course
The four principles of a butler
Every level of the course comes back to these.
A
Anticipate
Know what is needed before anyone asks.
D
Discretion
What you see and hear in the house stays in the house.
P
Presence
Be there when you are needed, and invisible when you are not.
S
Standards
The same high standard every time, even when nobody is watching.
Words of the trade
Words every butler should know
The words you will hear on the job.
Principal
The person or family a butler works for.
Valet
Caring for someone's clothes and helping them dress and pack.
Silver service
Serving food at the table from a platter, using a serving spoon and fork.
Turndown
Preparing a bedroom for the night.
Decant
Pour wine from the bottle into a decanter before serving.
Pantry
The butler's working room for glassware, silver and drinks.
Ready to start? Leave your number and we call you back.
Quick check
Is this course for you?
Ask yourself these three questions.
Do you enjoy looking after people?
Can you keep what you see and hear private?
Do you take pride in getting every detail right?
Three yeses? This course is for you.
How it works
From first call to certificate
EnquireTell us about your experience and which level you are aiming for.
Choose your levelStart at Foundation, or at the level that matches your experience.
TrainingPractical sessions: service, valet, table and household skills.
Practical assessmentYou show your skills in a service scenario.
Certificate and next levelAn Injongo certificate for each level, and a path to the next.
How you are assessed
Service scenario
You serve and look after guests in a role play, observed by your facilitator.
Practical tasks
Table setting, valet and tableware care checked against a standard.
Level project
At Head Butler level, you plan an event and a household staff roster.
Included in the course
Everything you need
Practical training at each level
A learner guide for each level
Role plays and service scenarios
A facilitator who checks every skill
What you leave with
What you leave with
Injongo certificateOne for each level you complete.
A professional standardService, valet and household skills done properly.
A clear career pathFrom Foundation to Head Butler and household manager.
Where it can take you
Your career ladder
These are the usual steps in private service.
Household staffStart with our Home Creations courses.
ButlerFoundation and Professional levels, for private homes, villas and lodges.
Senior butlerTake charge of service in a large home or lodge.
Head butler or household managerLead the household staff and run the home or estate.
Questions
Before you enrol
Still unsure? Call or WhatsApp +27 62 495 8450.
Which level should I start at?
Start at Foundation if you are new to private service. If you already work in a home, lodge or villa, we help you choose the right level.
Do I need experience?
Not for the Foundation level. Professional and Head Butler levels build on the level before, or on similar experience.
How is this different from Home Creations?
Home Creations trains household staff in the whole home. The Butler Academy focuses on butler service, from guests and dining to leading a household.
What certificate do I get?
Participants who meet Injongo's attendance and course-completion requirements receive an Injongo certificate of completion. This course does not award SAQA credits or a registered qualification.
Where is the training?
In Jeffreys Bay, Knysna, George, Plettenberg Bay, Oudtshoorn, Cape St Francis and Mossel Bay, or on site at your workplace for employer groups.
Is funding available?
Some groups are sponsored by employers or funders. When you enquire, we tell you about any funded places that fit you.
Will you help me find a job?
We help graduates with CVs, interviews and introductions to employers. We can't promise a job, but we work to connect every graduate with employers.
Keep exploring
Courses that go well with this one
Restaurant, bar & coffee
Restaurant Service Pro
Private household service
Home Creations
Private household service
Pro Driver & Chauffeur
Reserve my place
We call you back to talk through the course, the next group and any funding.
Training with a purpose.
Contact
+27 62 495 8450
WhatsApp us
[email protected]
29 Da Gama Road, Jeffreys Bay
Injongo College is the trading name of Injongo FET College (Pty) Ltd, reg. 2017/439489/07. CATHSSETA-accredited skills development provider 613/P/00381/2022. DHET-registered private college 2023/FE07/012 for NC(V) programmes. Training in Jeffreys Bay, Knysna, George, Plettenberg Bay, Oudtshoorn, Cape St Francis and Mossel Bay.