Waiter and food and beverage attendant roles are the entry point into most hospitality careers in Australia, and the roles that SIT30622 Certificate III in Hospitality is built around. This page sets out what the work involves, the qualification that leads to it, the licence you need before you can serve alcohol, and the one thing most career pages get wrong: which industrial award actually covers you.

At a glance
Core qualification SIT30622 Certificate III in Hospitality
Provider Complete Hospitality Training, RTO 3722
Before you can serve alcohol Responsible Service of Alcohol — see /rsa
Award coverage MA000009 or MA000119 — decided by the venue, not the job
Typical progression SIT40422 Certificate IV in Hospitality
Also relevant Food handling, first aid, barista skills

What the work involves

A waiter or food and beverage attendant is the front of the dining experience: greeting guests, taking and processing orders, serving food and drink, answering questions about the menu, handling payment, and managing several tables at once. Setting up and clearing service areas, handling dietary requirements, and maintaining cleanliness through service are all part of the job.

The setting changes the pace more than it changes the skills. A breakfast and lunch cafe, a fine-dining restaurant, a hotel running room service and functions, and a bar coordinating drink service all draw on the same core competencies at different tempos.

The work is physically demanding — you are on your feet for a full shift — and the hours are frequently evenings, weekends and public holidays. In exchange it offers genuine flexibility, and it is one of the few skilled roles you can enter with a Certificate III and progress from steadily.

Which award covers you — and why it is not one answer

This is worth getting right, because it determines your minimum rates, penalties and classification structure.

The test is the employer's business and premises, not your job title. A waiter is a waiter either way; which award applies depends on where you work.

Where you work Award
Hotel, motel, pub, tavern, wine bar, guest house, resort, hostel, serviced apartments, caravan park MA000009 Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020
Restaurant, bistro or cafe inside a hotel or motel, or operated in connection with one MA000009
Standalone restaurant, cafe, bistro, reception centre, night club, roadhouse MA000119 Restaurant Industry Award 2020
Casino, function centre or convention facility attached to hospitality premises MA000009
A business whose primary activity is catering MA000009
Registered or licensed club Neither — Registered and Licensed Clubs Award 2020
Fast-food outlet Neither — Fast Food Industry Award 2010

So a waiter in a suburban standalone cafe is under MA000119, while the same person doing the same work in a hotel restaurant is under MA000009. Both awards were consolidated to 1 July 2026 and, from Introductory to Level 6, carry identical minimum weekly and hourly rates — the differences are structural rather than headline dollars. MA000009 has five streams plus separate casino gaming rates; MA000119 has three.

Both awards provide casual loading and penalty rates for weekends, evenings and public holidays. Check the current figures directly at awards.fairwork.gov.au rather than relying on any provider's summary, including this one.

The qualification

SIT30622 Certificate III in Hospitality is the foundation qualification for food and beverage service, and it is on CHT's scope of registration as deliver and assess. It covers professional service standards, food and beverage knowledge, customer service and communication, point-of-sale and payment handling, and workplace health and safety.

It also embeds responsible service of alcohol, which matters practically: in every Australian state and territory you must hold a current RSA credential before you can serve or supply alcohol in a licensed venue, and the requirements differ by jurisdiction. The RSA page sets out which regime applies where.

Where it leads

With experience, food and beverage service leads to head waiter and maitre d' roles, section and floor supervision, and venue management. Two routes sit on CHT's scope:

A note on the title. SIT40422 is Certificate IV in Hospitality. It is sometimes written as "Certificate IV in Hospitality Management", including elsewhere on this site — that longer form is not the registered title on the National Register. If you are checking a credential, check the code.

Common questions

Do I need a qualification to work as a waiter?

Not as a legal requirement. But you do need a current RSA credential before you can serve alcohol, and a Certificate III materially improves both starting position and progression.

Which award am I under?

It depends on the premises. Standalone cafe or restaurant: MA000119. Hotel, pub, resort, or a restaurant inside one: MA000009. Clubs and fast food sit under different awards again.

Is RSA included in the Certificate III?

Responsible service of alcohol is part of the hospitality training package. If you need the credential on its own and sooner, CHT offers it as a standalone short course — see /rsa.

Can international students enrol?

SIT30622 is not among CHT's CRICOS-registered courses. Its three CRICOS courses are SIT40422 (116358F), SIT50322 (118427D) and SIT50422 (115534C).

About the provider

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.

Award coverage reflects the Fair Work award coverage clauses as consolidated to 1 July 2026. Awards are varied regularly — confirm current rates and coverage at awards.fairwork.gov.au.

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