Serve food and beverages to customers in hospitality venues.

As a Food and Beverage Attendant, you greet guests, take orders, deliver meals and drinks, clear tables and handle payments. You help create a positive dining experience by providing friendly service, keeping the dining area clean and working closely with kitchen and bar staff. Your role is fast paced, customer focused and essential to smooth hospitality operations.

TAFE SA offers courses relevant to this occupation including Certificate II, III and IV in Hospitality.

Still unsure? Then try a short course also offered through TAFE SA.

SA Apprenticeships are available in this occupation for further information go to the Traineeship & Apprenticeship Services Website at http://www.skills.sa.gov.au/apprenticeships-traineeships or phone the Freecall number 1800 673 097.

It is an occupation that typically experiences a high turnover, which helps bolster employment opportunities. As the tourism industry continues to grow, so too do employment opportunities. While there is increased demand for better service and more highly skilled staff, this does not preclude eager and energetic individuals from getting a foot in the door and learning on the job. Food and beverage attendants can advance their careers and progress to higher paid positions in larger and perhaps more formal food establishments.

Food and beverage attendants may be responsible for the handling of cash, so some basic mathematical skills in addition to a high degree of honesty are extremely important. A flair for working with people and a friendly, helpful disposition are great traits for people who are contemplating this line of work. Food and beverage attendants enjoy the benefits of making new friends, meeting people and experiencing the fun that comes with working in a team environment. One aspect of the job is the people you meet, the stories they tell and the great friends you can make. Another interesting aspect of this type of work, especially in establishments such as taverns, is that you have to be the storyteller, the listener, the joker, and the friend. Sometimes you need to have good stores of patience.

Occasionally there are no smiles, no conversation, and worse, no thank you for the service that you've provided. Not everyone is a happy customer. Food and beverage attendants can expect to be on their feet for extended periods of time, especially during peak trading periods. But if you'd prefer a non-desk, more physical occupation, this aspect should be viewed positively. Food and beverage attendants serve customers in establishments such as restaurants, hotels, pubs, taverns, private clubs, and banquet halls. You'll need to be at least 18 years old if you are expected to serve alcohol in any of these establishments.

This type of work is characterised by high levels of part-time and casual work, and it's not strictly 9-5 either. You can expect to work at weekends and there is a lot of evening work. This makes the job an attractive option to people seeking an income while studying, or to others who combine the job with other work, or recreational commitments. This occupation also tends to be seasonal. The demand for food and beverage attendants tends to increase during holiday periods or on special occasions, such as Christmas or Mother's Day.