Gaining skills in hospitality can ensure you are employable wherever you go, including travelling overseas or moving interstate. Jobs in hospitality can involve working as a chef, waiter/waitress, barista, or bartender.
Although most hospitality jobs do not require formal qualifications, most will require that you possess a current RSA or responsible service of alcohol license. Depending on the job, some training will put you well on your way to being more employable in the hospitality industry.
Hospitality training available
Any job that involves serving alcohol will require you to hold an RSA certificate. This can be obtained through a day long course, which covers information such as the size of a standard drink, the effects of alcohol on customers, and strategies to prevent intoxication or violent behaviour. RSA qualifications can be gained through TAFEs and adult learning centres but are also offered through online hospitality courses.
Similar to an RSA certificate is an RCG or responsible conduct of gambling certificate. This allows those who wish to work in gaming related functions and licensed premises to work responsibly and ethically in these premises.
For those who wish to work as baristas, most skills can be learned on the job, but barista courses do exist which train you in the basics of coffee making. These will usually offer training during a one day course, which trains students to correctly froth milk, extract coffee, and create coffee art.
Bartender courses also exist which teach skills in bartending, including cocktail making, beer cellar operations, mixing spirits, and so forth. These courses can vary from day long to week long depending on the complexity of skills being learned.
Finally, hospitality schools train students to become chefs through in kitchen operation courses at the certificate level.
Where to go
For each of these specialties, specialised schools exist which teach students a defined skill set within hospitality. Courses are also available at TAFE providers throughout Australia. Learning skills in hospitality will allow you to be a highly employable individual, no matter which area you are interested in working in.