To work in some industries in Australia like a gaming venue, a venue that serves alcohol or on a building site you are required to hold a certificate. Having a certificate shows you have undertaken training and deemed competent in the field. And therefore, you are seen as more employable as someone who doesn’t hold the certificate. So if you are travelling Australia and want to pick up work in certain industries I highly suggest you get yourself one or more of these certificates. Most of these certificates only take a day to complete and can be done online so you can get one before you start, or while travelling. So here is my overview of certificates and training to help you gain work while you travel Australia.

What is a Certificate?

A certificate is a piece of paper that is issued to you after you have successfully completed training in a specific field. It simply states that you have done training and are now competent. Some industries require you to have such a certificate before you can work in the industry.

Important: To undertake a course to gain a certificate you will need a USI (Unique Student Identifier). It is free and easy to obtain, even if you are a working holiday maker to Australia. Get your USI here https://www.usi.gov.au. Once you have your USI ensure you do a course through an RTO (Registered Training Organisation). An RTO is a government registered training organisation and they must meet regulations set out by the government to ensure their training meets Australian government standards.

Which Certificate Do You Need?

This will depend on which industry you want to work in. Some industries rely on casual workers which suits travellers as they travel Australia. However, some of those industries like hospitality and building require you to hold a certificate before you can work in the industry. If you want to work in the hospitality and / or building industries then you will need one or more of the following certificates.

RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) Certificate (SITHFAB002)

The RSA is essential in the hospitality industry where you will be serving alcohol. Hospitality jobs are easily found all over Australia however when you are serving alcohol you require the RSA Certificate. The RSA shows that you are aware of regulations concerning alcohol consumption in Australia. You will be trained to learn how to be responsible when serving alcohol to patrons including serving standard measure drinks. Regulations are specific to each state, which means you will need to obtain the RSA in the state or states you intend to find work. Most of the RSA Certificates can be obtained online except Victoria which likes you to do face to face training. However, during the covid pandemic training is being done online. The cost to obtain the certificate can vary in price and range from $40 to $150 depending on the package you choose to do and the state you choose to do it for. There are quite a few providers where you can gain the certificate which will only day a day to obtain. Ensure the specific code of the course you do is SITHFAB002. Once you obtain your certificate you can find employment in pubs, bars, restaurants and clubs or really anywhere alcohol is served.

RSG / RCG Certificate

RSG (Responsible Service of Gambling) for NSW and RCG (Responsible Conduct of Gambling) for the other states.

The RSG / RCG Certificate is compulsory to work in a gaming establishment such as pubs, clubs, casinos or racecourses. The aim of the course to to teach you to detect gambling problems. It is often required in conjunction with the RSA to work in a pub, particularly if the pub has a gaming area. However, each state has different regulations surrounding RSG / RCG so before undertaking this course find out if you need it. For example, it is not required in Western Australia but compulsory to have in Tasmania while in South Australia you have 6 months from the state date of your employment to complete it. Obtaining the certificate can take a day, can be done online and can cost anywhere from $50-$100.

White Card – Construction and Building Industry

Construction jobs are very well paying jobs in Australia but to work in the industry you will need a White Card. The aim of the training is to learn about safety at work and to identify hazards to prevent and manage accidents. Unlike other certificates like the RSA, the white card is Australia wide so you can use it in any state of Australia. You can obtain your white card online or in a classroom. 

Forklift Licence

The forklift licence is a course to evaluate your ability to operate a forklift. There are two licences, LO and LF. The LO licence allows you to operate an order picker / stock picker forklift while the LF licence allows you to operate any forklift except what the LO covers you for. It is quite expensive to obtain, around $450 but only needs renewing every 5 years.

Barista Course

You don’t need a certificate to be a barista so if you already have experience making coffees then you should be fine to find a position. However, if you have never worked as a barista before you might want to do a training course and obtain a Barista Ticket. Gaining a Barista Ticket will only take a few hours and teaches you the use of a coffee machine from scratch. It will also teach you how to make all the major coffees available in a coffee shop like cappacino, flat white, etc. Plus also how to froth milk and how to clean the coffee machine. Courses will be done in a classroom and cost around $100. Having one of these will help you get work as you travel Australia.

RMS Traffic Controller – Blue Card (RIIWHS205E)

Traffic Controllers, or those people who stand there holding the Stop and Slow bats are found all over Australia. And to be able to be a traffic controller you will need a Blue Card. The course will take a day and cost around $100. When search for a course ensure it is the code RIIWHS205E.

Other Courses and Training

Depending on the type of job you might want to look for while travelling Australia there are other handy certificates and training to undertake. The First Aid Certificate is a requirement for jobs in child care, aged care and other caring fields. Some jobs may require a Police Check and or Working With Children Check. The best advice I can offer when choosing a course to undertake is to ensure it is with an RTO.

Finally

If you want to travel Australia and pick up work then consider obtaining a certificate or some training in the field of which you would like to work. As they only take a day to complete and can be done online having these skills can help you gain work while you travel Australia. Being trained and having certificates will definitely help you find work but there are a number of other ways to find work while you travel. Read my post 6 Ways To Find Work While You Travel Australia.