A new door has opened for international students in the NT to find casual work in the hospitality industry in a move that will also help ease staffing shortages for Territory businesses.
Thanks to a collaboration between the NT Government and Hospitality NT, a Territory-specific free online course can now be accessed by international students, which enables them to satisfy Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) requirements needed to work in the local hospitality industry.
Previously, international students studying courses other than hospitality faced barriers to obtaining the RSA Certificates - a mandatory requirement when working with alcohol.
Approved by the Director of Liquor Licencing, the Hospitality NT course will make it faster and cheaper for students to qualify for work in the hospitality sector.
Kindness Shake, a student-led organisation formed to support international students who are experiencing financial difficulties due to Covid-19, says removing barriers to work is critical in helping international students recover from the challenges of the past two years.
Making it as easy as possible to gain employment has been a constant concern for international students who, at the same time, inject millions of dollars into the NT economy.
International students are a valued part of the community and the Territory Labor Government is working to ensure the NT is a destination of choice for people seeking a quality education in Australia.
The accredited RSA course, designed specifically for international students not studying a hospitality industry-related course, can be found online at: www.internationalstudentsrsant.com here.
Quotes from Minister for International Education, Ngaree Ah Kit
"We saw over the past couple of years just how integral international students are to the social and economic fabric of the Territory and supporting them to participate in our community is crucial to their NT experience and in helping them to supplement increasing cost of living pressures.
"At the same time, this measure should go some way towards helping NT hospitality providers who are facing severe staff shortages while benefiting from a strong dry-season recovery.
"Enhancing the experience of students will have the added benefit of them becoming ambassadors for studying in the Territory, and support our goal of making the NT a top choice for international students."
Quotes from Hospitality NT Chief Executive Officer, Alex Bruce
"This issue had been raised by international students and hospitality venues for a long time and today's announcement will hopefully help maximise the number of international students working in local hospitality venues which are crying out for more staff.
"We thank Licensing NT and the Territory Government for their practical and pragmatic approach in ensuring valued international students can continue to be a critical part of the hospitality workforce."
Quotes from Kindness Shake Co-Founder and Chair, Ben Poveda-Alfonso
"Many international students want to work whilst they are studying in the Territory and this tool will help all those that want to work in the local hospitality industry, and continue to provide additional benefits and shape our community through population growth, economic prosperity, and cultural diversity, contributing to a socially enriched Territory.
"Hospitality NT continues to advocate and include international students in their plans to rebuild local workforces and we fully support today's proactive initiative."
Northern Territory Government
