Bartenders prepare, create and serve all kinds of drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) for patrons in a wide range of settings, from pubs and hotels, to cruise liners and airplanes.
If you’re friendly and outgoing, flexible with your work hours, love people and have a great memory, this could be the perfect job for you.
About you:
- Customer focused with excellent communication skills
- High energy levels and plenty of stamina, you’ll be on your feet for hours
- Work well under pressure, as part of a team, at any time of day – or night
The job:
- Greet and serve customers in a friendly manner, read whether they’d like to chat or be left alone
- Prepare and serve drinks for your patrons, sometimes helping them to choose
- Process payments and accurately maintain a cash register (and transaction records)
- Keep the bar area clean and re-stocked at all times
Lifestyle impact: Medium
- Part Time opportunities: Very high – around 71% of Bartenders work part-time (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au).
- Average hours for full-time workers: 42 hours a week, which is average (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au).
- Electricians’ salary (average) $60,000* per year (source: seek.com.au). *Salaries vary depending on your skills and experience.
- Future career growth: Strong (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au).
- You will be doing most of your work indoors, potentially in a wide variety of settings.
- You will most likely need to work on weekends, holidays, and late nights, as these are popular times for people to go out.
- You should get as much work experience as possible, keep up with new trends (and laws), be hard working and flexible, earn yourself a great reputation with your customers as well as management.
Bartenders are most in demand in these locations:
Demand for Bartenders is highest in New South Wales and Queensland. Most work in the Accommodation and Food Services industry.
How to become a Bartender in Australia
A degree isn’t essential for entry to this career, but you must obtain a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) Certificate before you are allowed to work as a bartender in a licensed venue.
Step 1 – Finish Year 12 with good results in English and Maths. You’ll need to be at least 18 to work in bars, pubs and clubs.
Step 2 – Undertake work experience in a hospitality or retail setting to build your customer service skills.
Step 3 – Complete an RSA Certificate, like the ones below. Note that many courses have a minimum age requirement of 17 or 18.
- Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) Online at TAFE NSW
- Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol from TAFE QLD
- Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) from TAFE SA
- Responsible Service of Alcohol from TasTAFE
- Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) from Chisholm TAFE
Step 4 – Find work as a bartender and build on your skills, and consider enrolling on short courses that could help you get a foot in the door, such as:
- Certificate III in Hospitality
- Bar Skills and RMLV (Responsible Management of Licensed Venues)
- International Bartender Course
- Accredited Cocktail Course with TAFE
Step 5 – Work hard, get to you know your customers, expand your knowledge of drinks and impress your bosses. You could end up in management positions, or become a business owner and establish your own bar.
Find out more here –
Similar Careers to Bartending
Restaurant Manager
Hotel Manager
Find out more about alternative careers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How long does it take to become a Bartender?
Many Responsible Service of Alcohol qualifications are relatively short, meaning you could become qualified to work as a bartender within a few days to weeks.
Where do Bartenders work?
Bartenders can work in a variety of establishments, including in bars, restaurants, pubs, clubs, cafés, and hotels, casinos, cruises, function centres, as well as for private catering and event companies.
Do I need to go to university to become a Bartender?
No, you don’t have to go to university. But relevant qualifications and lots of work experience could fast track your career and open up more opportunities.
Is Bartending a good career to aim for?
If you are friendly and love talking to people, as well as have an interest in the hospitality industry, bartending could be a rewarding career for you.