The NSW government will fund 5,000 fee-free Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) courses to support new workers entering the hospitality industry and help ease the staffing pressure on licensed hospitality venues.
Original article published by businessaustralia.com
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Treasurer Matt Kean said the free courses would be available from 7 February and would allow more people to get the qualifications they needed to enter the workforce during this critical time.
The hospitality sector makes up for more than 2% of total gross value added to the New South Wales economy and supports more than 300,000 jobs, with international students and workers being a big part of the workforce of this critical industry. By providing these free RSA courses, NSW is not just supporting the hospitality sector during the current downturn, but supporting the future of people who could pick up an extra qualification for Free.
Minister for Hospitality and Racing Kevin Anderson said the funding would help thousands of people to gain the skills to enter an in-demand industry.
“Staff shortages are adversely impacting the hospitality sector, which is why we are supporting more people to obtain skills and work to drive our economic recovery.”
Mr Kevin Anderson
The refresher RSA courses will be available free of charge from 7 February until the end of June.
Hospitality workers whose RSA competency card has expired within the past two years, or will expire before 30 June, can complete a short online refresher course to renew their certification for free.
The RSA courses will be available through TAFE NSW and private providers who already offer government-subsidized programs.
The free courses are available now for people who want to work in the industry through Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW) approved training providers participating in the Smart and Skilled program. A list of the approved training providers will be available on the L&GNSW website soon.
