The NSW Government has launched an online bridging course that makes its easier, faster and cheaper for interstate hospitality workers to gain their NSW Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) accreditation.
Liquor & Gaming NSW Executive Director Natasha Mann said the courses will make it easier for NSW venues to find appropriately trained staff as workers with RSA accreditation from other states will now only have to do a short course to get qualified to serve alcohol in NSW.
“Instead of needing to complete the full six-hour NSW RSA course, interstate workers can now simply go online and do a short bridging course that takes less than 90 minutes,” Mann said.
“With the course available online, workers relocating to NSW can complete it before they arrive.
“Once here, they can simply go to any Service NSW centre, get an interim work certificate and start work straight away.
“Workers in border regions such as Albury/Wodonga and Tweed Heads/Coolangatta will also benefit, with the new course giving them an easy option to gain certification to work in nearby NSW centres.
“NSW venues will also find it easier to recruit appropriately trained staff.”
To be eligible to take the course, interstate workers must have:
- a national RSA statement of attainment from Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia, Western Australia or Tasmania issued in the last five years, or
- a RSA certificate or refresher certificate from Victoria or the Australian Capital Territory issued in the last three years.
Interstate workers looking to become licensees, approved managers or club secretaries in NSW can skip the bridging course and simply complete Licensee Training to gain NSW RSA and Licensee Training competencies.
The bridging course costs $85 compared to the $112 minimum costs for the full NSW RSA course.
It covers NSW liquor laws, industry best practice and guidance on how to sell, serve and supply alcohol safely in NSW.
The new initiative is part of the NSW Government’s digital technology drive which has seen the state’s 650,000 hospitality workers offered digital RSA and Responsible Conduct of Gambling competency cards.
The digital card, which lets users display, update and renew a licence using a smartphone or tablet, has so far been taken up by almost 140,000 workers.