Training Hospitality Workers for Success

The structured way to train a hospitality worker is a traineeship or an apprenticeship: a training contract that ties paid employment to a nationally recognised qualification, with the training time and the wage progression written into the award rather than left to goodwill.

This page sets out the mechanics on both sides — what the award requires of the employer, and what the training standards require of the provider — so you can tell which obligations are yours.

Build the pathway around the worker

The original worker-training guide starts by pairing a new hire with an experienced colleague and asking what role the worker hopes to grow into. Agree on the basics needed for the current job, then plan practice, feedback and any relevant short course or qualification for the next role. The traineeship, supervision and assessment rules below matter when that pathway includes formal workplace training.

It is a three-way arrangement, and that is a legal fact rather than a slogan

Training Services NSW states the model plainly: "Training is a responsibility shared by the training provider, employer and apprentice or trainee." All three are parties to the training plan, and the RTO is not simply an off-site instructor.

The training contract itself is a legally binding agreement. It specifies the qualification to be undertaken, the number of hours of training and employment provided each week, each party's obligations to the others, the off-the-job and on-the-job training arrangements, and what to do if something goes wrong. On the employer's side it records three commitments in particular:

Traineeships — the 20 per cent rule

Trainee wages and conditions come from the National Training Wage (Schedule E of the Miscellaneous Award 2020, as incorporated into the hospitality awards). A full-time traineeship is 38 ordinary hours a week, and 20 per cent of those hours are approved training. The trainee must be released without loss of pay to attend the training specified in the training contract, and that time counts as time worked. In plain terms, roughly one day in five of a full-time trainee's week belongs to the qualification, and the employer pays for it as if the trainee were on the floor.

The consequence for rostering is real: a trainee is not a full-time floor worker at a discount. The training hours have to be scheduled, protected and paid.

Apprenticeships — competency-based progression and the 21-day rule

Apprentice wage progression is competency-based rather than purely time-served. When the RTO assesses the apprentice as meeting the requirements for the next stage and the employer receives that advice in writing, the employer has 21 days to raise a disagreement. If none is raised, the progression follows. Employers who ignore RTO correspondence therefore find wage increases have taken effect without their involvement — the mechanism is designed so that silence means agreement.

Getting approved to employ a trainee, which differs by state

This is the step that surprises employers, and the two states handle it in opposite ways.

Victoria approves the employer first. The VRQA must approve an employer before it can sign a training contract. In deciding, the VRQA considers the employer's premises, the equipment and methods used for training, whether the person supervising has appropriate qualifications, knowledge and skills and is a fit and proper person to train apprentices or trainees, and whether the employer is a fit and proper person to employ one. Approval is granted for an industry, or a grouping of related qualifications within a specific industry or field of study — so an approval to take on cookery apprentices does not carry across to a different industry, and the employer goes through approval again. The VRQA's stated reasoning: it cannot assume employers will comply with its requirements in a new industry.

New South Wales has no standing employer approval. Training Services assesses employer suitability at the point of assessing each training contract, considering whether the employer can meet the contract requirements, whether the qualification suits the intended occupation, whether the training supervisor has appropriate qualifications, knowledge and skills, and whether the premises, equipment and methods suit the work and the training.

So the same business expanding across the border faces one process per contract in New South Wales and one process per industry in Victoria.

The training plan, and what has to be in it

The training plan is the operational document, and it is not an RTO internal file — it is agreed to by all three parties and it is what a regulator reads. It must include:

It is described as a living document, and the cadence is specified rather than left to judgement:

Duty Timing Whose
Draft the training plan on the mandated proforma Within 12 weeks of contract approval — 6 weeks for a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship in NSW RTO, in consultation with the employer and the learner
Give a signed copy to both the employer and the learner On completion of the plan RTO
Update the plan to reflect progress and any change to training arrangements At minimum every six months RTO
Contact the learner to confirm progress and employer support At minimum monthly RTO
Discuss progress with the RTO, more often where there are performance issues At least every six months (NSW requirement) Employer
Provide the RTO with workplace training records to assist assessment Ongoing Employer
Confirm in writing that the learner is competent in the workplace Before completion is reported Employer, documented and retained

That last row is worth dwelling on. The RTO assessing the units is not the end of it: the employer's confirmation that the person is competent in the workplace has to be obtained and kept. A plan that lists units and is never updated is non-compliant, and so is a completion reported without the employer's sign-off.

In New South Wales the RTO also carries a notification duty: where any matter may affect successful completion of the apprenticeship or traineeship, it must notify Training Services using the RTO notification of issues form (VT20). A learner who has stopped attending, or an employer who is not releasing them, is the RTO's duty to report — not something to raise at the six-month review.

Supervision is the obligation regulators actually enforce

The VRQA's position is unusually direct: "Supervision is a non-negotiable requirement of the Victorian apprenticeship and traineeship system." Its authorised officers check supervision arrangements when they contact apprentices and trainees or visit workplaces, and it will ban employers who are not properly supervising from hiring apprentices and trainees in Victoria. In one six-month period the VRQA banned 17 employers, with non-compliance on supervision a key reason in most of those cases.

The supervisor's own qualification is specified, not assumed:

Arrangement What the direct supervisor must hold
A regulated trade (for example electrical, plumbing) The appropriate licence, verifiable through the state licensing body — in NSW, NSW Fair Trading
An unlicensed trade, which includes commercial cookery and baking A Certificate of Proficiency for the vocation, or a qualification and experience that would entitle them to one
A traineeship Experience or a qualification at the same level or higher in the vocation being undertaken

And one absolute rule, stated in those terms: apprentices and trainees must not supervise other apprentices or trainees. There is no version of a busy Saturday that makes that acceptable.

Supervision is also expected to be calibrated to risk. A young first-year apprentice in an industry with greater risk of injury needs a different form of supervision from a fourth-year apprentice in a low-risk setting — which in practice means a first-year commercial cookery apprentice in a hot kitchen sits at the high end. The two recognised levels:

Some employers also nominate a mentor — anyone in the business who can support the person beyond the training plan itself. Supervisors are often the RTO's point of contact for scheduling off-the-job training, which is a good reason to name one rather than leave it to whoever is on shift.

First, work out which award you are under

This is the step most employers skip, and it decides everything downstream, because coverage is set by the premises, not the job title. There are four awards, each covering its industry to the exclusion of any other.

Award Code Premises it covers Level 4 floor?
Hospitality Industry (General) MA000009 Hotels, pubs, taverns, motels, resorts, casinos, caterers, accommodation Yes
Registered and Licensed Clubs MA000058 Not-for-profit registered clubs — RSL, bowls, golf, sporting, community Yes
Restaurant Industry MA000119 Standalone restaurants, cafes, night clubs, reception centres, roadhouses Yes
Fast Food Industry MA000003 Takeaway, food courts, food sold mainly to be eaten away from the counter No

Two traps. Clubs are not MA000009 — clause 4.4(d)(i) of that award expressly excludes clubs registered or recognised under State or Territory legislation, so a registered club sits under MA000058, and only where it is both registered under a liquor, gaming, associations or corporations statute and operating not-for-profit for members and the community. And night clubs are not MA000058 — a night club is commercial, so it falls under MA000119. A food-court outlet is MA000003; the cafe two doors down with tables is MA000119, because the test is sit-down service rather than the menu.

Where the RTO's job ends and the employer's begins

A venue has no obligations under the Outcome Standards for RTOs — those sit with the training provider, which assesses competency and issues the qualification or Statement of Attainment. The employer's obligations are the award, the training contract, employer approval and supervision under the state training authority, paid release for training, and ordinary employment records and pay slips. Whether a particular qualification is available as a traineeship or apprenticeship in a given state is decided by that state's training authority, not by the RTO.

Obligation Sits with
Paid release for approved training Employer, under the award and training contract
Wage progression and reclassification Employer, under the award
Approval to employ an apprentice or trainee Employer, through the VRQA in Victoria or contract-by-contract assessment in NSW
Providing a qualified direct supervisor Employer
Drafting and updating the training plan RTO, in consultation with the other two parties
Pre-training review before enrolment RTO, under Standard 2.2 of the Outcome Standards for RTOs
Assessing competency and making the judgement RTO, by a credentialled assessor
Confirming competence in the workplace Employer, documented and retained
Issuing the qualification or Statement of Attainment RTO, within 30 calendar days of assessment
Recognising prior learning RTO, under Standard 1.6
Registering the training contract State training authority
Notifying the state authority of anything threatening completion RTO — form VT20 in NSW
Verifying the individual holds RSA or an FSS certificate before a shift Employer, as licensee or food business proprietor

That last line is the one venues most often miss. Compliance credentials sit on the person, and a traineeship does not suspend them: a trainee serving alcohol needs RSA before the first shift, and a food handler must complete training before engaging in a prescribed activity.

What the provider must do before the trainee starts

Three things, all of which are worth knowing because they protect the trainee and the employer equally.

A pre-training review. Under Standard 2.2 of the Outcome Standards for RTOs it must consider the person's language, literacy and numeracy, their digital literacy, and their individual requirements including physical skills, prior experience, prerequisites and entry requirements — and it must inform whether they are appropriately placed in that training product. For a 17-year-old starting a Certificate III in Commercial Cookery, that conversation is the difference between a completion and a withdrawal.

A Unique Student Identifier. Under section 53 of the Student Identifiers Act 2014 no RTO can issue a qualification or a Statement of Attainment without one, so the USI needs to exist before enrolment, not at graduation. It is free. If the person has studied any time from 2015 onward they already have one — recover it rather than creating a second, because duplicates split the training history across two records. The USI must not be printed on the certificate itself.

Pre-enrolment information. Before enrolment or before any fees are payable the provider must give the full fee schedule, the training product code and title, duration, delivery modes, location and dates, whether licensing requirements apply, third-party arrangements, the support and wellbeing services available, every obligation around materials, equipment, work placement, travel and accommodation, and how to lodge an enquiry.

Who is allowed to assess your trainee

Worth checking, because it decides whether the qualification is real. To make assessment judgements a person must hold one of: TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor, TAE40116, TAE40110, a diploma or higher-level qualification in adult education or VET, or a secondary teaching qualification plus TAESS00011, TAESS00019 or TAESS00024. For assessment only, TAESS00001 is also acceptable.

They must also have industry competencies, skills and knowledge relevant to, and at least to the level of, the training product, demonstrate current industry practice, and maintain engagement with industry — and the RTO must ensure continuing professional development. Someone with relevant credentials but not one of the above may deliver training and help collect assessment evidence under direction, but may not make assessment judgements.

The assessment itself must satisfy four principles — fairness, flexibility, validity (which requires practical application components in a practical setting) and reliability — and the evidence must be valid, sufficient, authentic and current. The tool must be reviewed before it is used, and the system quality assured through validation at least once every five years by credentialled people on a documented risk-based approach.

The certificate itself, and the NRT logo

One detail worth knowing before a cohort finishes, because it is how a document is checked. The Nationally Recognised Training logo must appear on all AQF certification documentation issued by a registered training organisation, and must not appear on other testamurs or transcripts of results. It may only be used in association with nationally recognised training — training package qualifications, accredited qualifications and short courses, skill sets and units of competency — and must not be used in any way that creates a misleading impression.

Related, and useful if training is arranged through an intermediary: a third party may not issue AQF certification documentation, use the NRT logo or use the RTO's branding. The certificate comes from the RTO.

Placement, where the workplace is not the trainee's own

Where a qualification carries a placement requirement there are three routes:

  1. A vocational placement the provider arranges under its own agreements with venues, for learners not currently in paid hospitality employment.
  2. A self-arranged vocational placement, also for learners not in paid employment.
  3. A work placement at the learner's existing paid hospitality job — which is what a traineeship or apprenticeship normally uses.

All three require a Placement Agreement completed before the placement commences, setting out supervision, workplace conduct and learning outcomes for the learner, the venue and the provider. The provider must also assess third-party environments such as work placements for risks to student wellbeing, which is a live obligation for the host venue to be aware of.

Some practical volumes cannot be compressed, and they should be built into the roster rather than discovered late: SITHFAB027 requires five service periods including one peak; SITHFAB034 requires twelve, with full menu advice in every one; SITHFAB030 requires three service periods and two cocktails by each of six methods, so twelve preparations minimum; SITHFAB025 requires ten specified beverages on three occasions each; SITXFSA005 requires hand-washing, uniform and PPE use, personal hygiene practices and hygienic food service each on at least three occasions.

The pay step at the end

Under MA000009, MA000119 and MA000058, an employee who holds a relevant AQF Certificate III or higher and uses those competencies at work has a minimum classification of Level 4 — at clause 18.1 in MA000009 and MA000119, and clause 18.3 in MA000058. A completed traineeship is therefore a reclassification event in three of the four awards, and budgeting for it from the start avoids a dispute at the end. The fast food award, MA000003, has no equivalent provision.

Three details matter, because this is a pay entitlement rather than a courtesy. MA000009 and MA000119 require the employee to actually make use of the skills derived from those competencies, so it is not automatic on completion. MA000058 omits the words "or higher" and adds that the Fair Work Commission may require the employee to demonstrate they utilise the relevant skills. And the dispute route differs: clause 40 under MA000009, clause 34 under MA000119, and referral to the Fair Work Commission under MA000058.

In a standalone restaurant there is a related route: the appropriate level of training is an explicit path to the Cook tradesperson grades under MA000119, without an apprenticeship.

No pay rates are published here, because award rates re-set every 1 July. Use the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool with the correct award code. See working hours, rosters and public holidays and superannuation, tax and payslips.

Qualifications on our scope that fit this route

Qualification Units Core Where we deliver
SIT20322 Certificate II in Hospitality 12 — SA, VIC, WA
SIT20421 Certificate II in Cookery — — All states and territories
SIT30622 Certificate III in Hospitality 15 6 All states and territories
SIT30722 Certificate III in Hospitality (Restaurant Front of House) 20 9 All states and territories
SIT30821 Certificate III in Commercial Cookery 25 20 SA, TAS, VIC, WA
SIT40422 Certificate IV in Hospitality 21 9 All states and territories
SIT40521 Certificate IV in Kitchen Management 33 27 VIC, WA
BSB30120 Certificate III in Business 13 6 All states and territories
BSB40520 Certificate IV in Leadership and Management 12 5 All states and territories

SIT20322 and SIT20421 are different qualifications — Certificate II in Hospitality and Certificate II in Cookery — and both are current. Neither is a newer version of the other. Note also that the training.gov.au scope record carries no state field, so the delivery states above come from the provider rather than the register.

The core column is the one to plan a roster around. SIT30821 is 20 core out of 25 and SIT40521 is 27 out of 33 — there is very little room to shape those to a venue's convenience, because a cook has to be able to cook everything. By contrast SIT30622 has nine elective units out of fifteen, which lets you build the qualification around the roles you actually need filled. Electives must still be guided by the job outcome sought, local industry requirements and the complexity appropriate to the AQF level.

The AQF also sets an expected volume of learning: Certificate II typically 0.5–1 year, Certificate III typically 1–2 years, Certificate IV typically 0.5–2 years. It must be sufficient for the graduate to achieve the learning outcomes, so a compressed program is a risk rather than an efficiency.

We hold a Victorian Skills First VET Funding Contract; delivery outside Victoria is fee-for-service. We deliver to AQF level 5 (Diploma) and no higher. Our full scope is 17 current qualifications, 81 current skill sets and 579 current units, every component at extent deliver and assess, reaching across hospitality, business and cyber, community services, health and infection control, retail, creative arts and horticulture. One qualification on that record, SIR30216 Certificate III in Retail, passed its end date on 28 June 2024 and is not available. We have held RTO code 3722 since 1 June 1994, with a current registration period running to 30 June 2032 under ASQA.

Sequencing units against roles is covered in creating an effective training plan; employers can register interest for a cohort through the expression of interest form or the workplace training pages.

About us

We are Complete Hospitality Training, RTO 3722, CRICOS 04242E. Level 3, 28 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, and 410 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010. Contact melbourne@cht.edu.au or +61 3 9654 1554.

We link to the relevant course and regulatory sources in this guide. Check those sources for current requirements, and confirm course availability, delivery, fees and entry requirements with us before enrolling.

Source records and further guidance

We link the unit records and regulator guidance relevant to this page below. Check the current source before making an enrolment, licensing or employment decision.

Is training time paid?

Yes. A trainee must be released without loss of pay to attend training specified in the training contract, and that time counts as time worked.

Do we need approval before taking on an apprentice or trainee?

In Victoria, yes. The VRQA must approve the employer before a training contract is signed, assessing the premises, the equipment and methods, the supervisor's qualifications and whether the employer is a fit and proper person. Approval is granted for an industry or a grouping of related qualifications, so moving into a different industry means going through it again. New South Wales has no standing approval and instead assesses suitability at each training contract.

Who can supervise an apprentice cook?

Commercial cookery is an unlicensed trade, so the direct supervisor needs a Certificate of Proficiency for the vocation, or a qualification and experience that would entitle them to one. For a traineeship the supervisor must be experienced or qualified at the same level or higher in the vocation.

Can an apprentice supervise another apprentice on a busy shift?

No. The rule is absolute: apprentices and trainees must not supervise other apprentices or trainees.

What is the difference between direct and general supervision?

Direct supervision applies while the person is learning a particular skill, by a designated and qualified staff member. Once they are competent in that skill they move to general supervision for work requiring it. Regulators also expect the level to be calibrated to risk, so a first-year apprentice in a hot kitchen sits at the higher end.

What has to be in the training plan?

The qualification title, the commencement date of formal training, the units of competency including electives, the mode of delivery, how and when assessment happens, the training materials the RTO provides, the specific support for any literacy, numeracy or mentoring need, and the competency record books the employer signs off. It must be drafted on the mandated proforma within 12 weeks of contract approval, or six weeks for a school-based arrangement in NSW, and updated at least every six months.

How often should we hear from the RTO?

The RTO must contact the learner at least monthly to confirm progress and employer support, and update the training plan at least every six months. In New South Wales the employer must discuss progress with the RTO at least every six months, and more often where there are performance issues.

Do we have to sign anything to confirm the trainee is competent?

Yes. The RTO assesses the units, but the employer's confirmation that the person is competent in the workplace must be obtained, documented and retained before completion is reported.

What happens if a trainee stops turning up?

In New South Wales the RTO must notify Training Services using the RTO notification of issues form (VT20) where any matter may affect successful completion. Late notification is the RTO's failure rather than the employer's, so tell the provider early.

Which award covers our venue?

The premises decides. Hotels, pubs, motels, resorts, casinos and caterers are MA000009. Not-for-profit registered clubs are MA000058, because MA000009 expressly excludes registered clubs. Standalone restaurants, cafes, night clubs, reception centres and roadhouses are MA000119. Takeaway and food-court outlets are MA000003.

Does a completed traineeship change what we have to pay?

In three of the four awards, yes. Under MA000009 and MA000119 at clause 18.1, and MA000058 at clause 18.3, a relevant AQF Certificate III or higher used at work sets a minimum classification of Level 4. Budget for the reclassification from the start. The fast food award has no equivalent provision.

Is the Level 4 floor automatic on completion?

Not quite. Under MA000009 and MA000119 the employee must also be making use of the skills derived from those competencies. MA000058 drops the words "or higher" and adds that the Fair Work Commission may require the employee to demonstrate they use the relevant skills.

What happens if the employer disagrees with the RTO's assessment of an apprentice?

The employer has 21 days from receiving written advice to raise the disagreement. After that, the competency-based wage progression follows.

Does the venue have to comply with the RTO Standards?

No. Those obligations belong to the training provider. The venue's obligations are under the award, the training contract, the state training authority's approval and supervision requirements, and general employment law — plus verifying that individuals hold the licensing credentials their shift requires.

Does the trainee need anything before enrolment?

For nationally recognised training, a USI is generally required before a qualification or Statement of Attainment can be issued, unless an applicable exemption applies. See the official USI exemption guidance (https://www.usi.gov.au/students/create-your-usi/exemptions-usi). It is free; recover an existing USI rather than creating another. We also conduct a pre-training review that considers language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy.

Can a school student be a trainee?

Yes, and this is the one case where school enrolment does not block Victorian subsidy. A student enrolled in any school — government, non-government, independent or Catholic — is not eligible for Skills First subsidy unless they are a school-based apprentice or trainee. If the person is under 17 and not a school-based apprentice or trainee and has not completed Year 12, an exemption from school attendance is needed, requiring full-time training of at least 25 hours per week or training combined with employment.

Is a traineeship subsidised in Victoria?

A training contract changes the funding position, and the usual Skills First rules still frame it: Australian citizen, permanent visa holder or New Zealand citizen; commencement within the contracted window; and all training and assessment undertaken while physically present in Victoria or a listed border-region postcode. Confirm the specific position for your cohort and check the Victorian Government's own eligibility indicator.

Does the trainee still need RSA and food safety training?

Yes, and on the same timing as anyone else. A food handler must complete training before engaging in a prescribed activity, and the business must have appointed a Food Safety Supervisor before it engages in one. For alcohol service, confirm the applicable state training deadline and recognition rules. An RSA Statement of Attainment is a national training record, but permission to serve alcohol depends on the destination’s rules. NSW permits eligible temporary interstate workers; permanent movers and security or RSA marshal roles must meet NSW training and competency-card requirements, using bridging where eligible. Victoria offers bridging to eligible interstate holders. SA applies approved-provider rules to training from 1 November 2020, with earlier training not required to be repeated solely for that change. QLD and WA require suitable national RSA evidence. Tasmania distinguishes staff from licence holders; the ACT and NT have local currency and refresher requirements. Check the regulator before your first shift. See RSA recognition by jurisdiction (/rsa/), NSW’s rules (https://www.nsw.gov.au/business-and-economy/liquor-and-gaming/training/rsa-bridging) and SA’s rules (https://www.cbs.sa.gov.au/sections/LGL/RSA-approved-providers).

Can we give credit for someone who already does the job?

Yes, through recognition of prior learning, which RTOs must offer under Standard 1.6. It is a genuine assessment against the same evidence requirements, raised at the pre-training review. For a long-serving employee with no paperwork, RPL is usually the right instrument — and it is where the elective-heavy qualifications like SIT30622 and SIT50422 have the most room.

How long should the certificate take after the final assessment?

30 calendar days from the completion of assessment, provided the trainee was assessed as competent and all agreed fees are paid.

How do we tell a real certificate from a worthless one?

The NRT logo must appear on AQF certification documentation issued by an RTO, and must not appear on anything else. The document must name the unit or qualification code and the issuing RTO code. And a third party — an agent, a broker, an employer intermediary — may not issue certification documentation or use the RTO's branding at all.

What if the trainee does not finish?

They receive a Statement of Attainment for the units completed, carrying the full title and national code of each one. Those units credit-transfer into a later enrolment, so partial completion is not wasted for the person even if it is for the roster.

Can we train part of the team on a short course instead?

Yes. We hold 81 current skill sets, including SITSS00066 Kitchen Management, SITSS00068 Food Handling, SITSS00069 Food Safety Supervision, SITSS00071 Responsible service of alcohol, SITSS00080 Espresso Machine Operation and SITSS00087 Mentoring and Supervision. Each produces a Statement of Attainment and its units credit-transfer into a qualification later.

What if something goes wrong between the trainee and the provider?

Every RTO must run a complaints process with procedural fairness, published timeframes and escalation avenues, and an appeals process with independent review at no or low cost — including for assessment decisions. Informal complaints, such as a verbal conversation with a trainer, must be captured too. See policies (/policies/).

How do we check the provider before signing a cohort up?

training.gov.au for the RTO code, the registration period and the scope, then the provider for the delivery states, since the scope record carries no state field. Then ask which credential the assessors hold and how often assessment is validated. See the difference between a good and a bad course provider (/news/difference-between-a-good-and-bad-course-provider/) and the courses list (/courses/), or lodge a course enquiry (/contact/).

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