The One Course You Need To Do Before Travelling

Are you itching to embark on your next big adventure? Before you pack your bags and hop on a plane, there's one course you need to take to ensure that you're fully equipped to explore the world and make some extra cash along the way. It's not a language course or a cultural immersion program - it's the RSA, or Responsible Service of Alcohol. Here’s how getting an RSA will give you the skills and qualifications to land a hospo job here or overseas:

Working interstate

If you’re looking to see more of our great backyard, or try out life in another city, state or town, hospo is a great way to find work quickly. A lot of non-management jobs in hospitality are done on a casual basis, which means you can get added to a roster ASAP, and you don’t have to worry about giving a month’s notice before heading on to the next town. Even if you’re eventually hoping to get a job in a different industry, hospitality can be a great way to earn money in the meantime while you study or job-hunt.

Every state and territory in Australia requires you have accredited qualifications in serving alcohol responsibly, but RSA certifications are recognised and managed on a state-by-state basis. It’s a little complicated, but most RSA qualifications are based on the national skills unit SITHFAB002, so as long as your course teaches that, you’ll most likely just need to do a bridging course for the state you’re planning on working in. The bridging courses help you to understand what the specific rules for alcohol service are in that state or territory.

Going internationally

Qualifications like the RSA might not be required in the same way that they are for working in a venue here in Australia, but that doesn’t mean an RSA isn’t worth checking out.
The main reason is that an RSA isn’t just a piece of paper giving you permission to serve alcohol at a licensed venue. It’s not like a permission slip letting you out of class, or a ticket to ride the bus.

Getting your RSA means you have demonstrated what it actually means to serve alcohol responsibly at a licenced venue or event. RSA courses such as the one at the Hospitality Institute of NSW teach you the course content, and then you take a test at the end to show you understand and have learned all the different elements of alcohol service.

What that means is that while the actual certification might not be so important if you’re working as a bartender overseas, you can still say that you’ve completed a course teaching you skills like checking IDs, or being able to suss out when someone’s had a little too much to drink.

Plus, it might be worthwhile getting some experience working at a venue here in Australia before you decide you’re going to pay your way across Europe or the US doing hospitality. If you don’t want to jump straight into the deep end, you’ll need an RSA before you learn the fundamentals of working in a pub, club or hotel.

So whether you’re thinking about heading overseas, or trying out a new state right here in Australia, you’ll want to make sure you get an accredited RSA course first.