Food and Beverage Service Attendant

The qualification forms part of the career pathway for people working in the food and beverage industry with its alignment to food and beverage preparation services such as cooks. The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to function as a Food and Beverage Service Attendant. A Food and Beverage Service Attendant serves food and beverages and provides customer service to customers. A qualified learner will be able to: • Prepare and maintain the food and beverage serving area. • Meet and interact with customers. • Prepare hot and cold beverages. • Attend to customers' needs, serve food and beverages. • Conclude customer service and report on food and beverage serving inventory. A qualified learner will demonstrate the following key attributes: • Attentive listening, • Adaptability, • Effective team player, • Critical thinking, • Customer-focused, and • Health and safety oriented.

The National Occupational Certificate: Food and Beverage Service Attendant has been designed to meet the growing need in South Africa for an entry-level qualification focused on providing food and beverage services within the hospitality industry. The qualification addresses the specific competencies required to attend to customers' food and beverage service needs and related aspects, such as being attentive to customer satisfaction and monitoring the quality of services rendered. Similar Qualification(s) Higher Certificate: Food and Beverage Management, NQF Level 5; 120 Credits. National Diploma: Food and Beverage Management, NQF Level 5; 255 Credits. With the growth in the hospitality and tourism industry in South Africa and Southern Africa, a need for suitably qualified Food and Beverage Service Attendants is realised. The National Occupational Certificate: Food and Beverage Service Attendant will address the need for skilled attendants who provide better service, enhancing the reputation of hospitality establishments. Well-trained attendants ensure a positive customer experience, leading to customer retention and positive reviews. Improved service quality attracts more tourists and clients, boosting the tourism and hospitality sector and creating diverse economic opportunities. The qualification thus contributes directly to the job creation, reducing unemployment rates and providing stable income sources and further career opportunities within the industry. The qualification instils adaptability, helping attendants cope with changing customer preferences and industry trends, which further supports the growth of the hospitality industry. Society requires attendants who understand and adhere to health, safety, and hygiene regulations, ensuring legal compliance for businesses. The National Occupational Certificate: Food and Beverage Service Attendant qualification has a specific focus on quality-mindedness, which reduces the risk of foodborne illnesses and accidents, safeguarding both customers and businesses. Typical learners include people who are already working within the hospitality industry and those who wish to enter the industry. Representatives working in all spheres of the hospitality industry were consulted in the review of the qualification. List typical occupations in which the qualifying learner will operate: • Food and Beverage Service Attendant. • Waitron. • Bartender. • Wine Steward.

RPL for Access to Training: Learners may use the RPL process to gain access to training opportunities for a qualification if they do not meet the formal, minimum entry requirements for admission. RPL assessment provides an alternative access route to a qualification. Such an RPL assessment may be developed, moderated, and conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider which offers that specific qualification. Such an assessment must ensure that the learner is able to display the equivalent level of competencies required for access, based on the NQF level descriptors. RPL for exemption from modules For exemption from modules through RPL, learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a qualification through any means of formal, informal or non-formal learning and/or work experience may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded. RPL for credits Learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a qualification, part-qualification through any means of formal, informal or non-formal learning and/or work experience, may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded. RPL for Access to the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA): A valid Statement of Results is required for admission to the EISA in which confirmation of achievement is provided that all internal assessment criteria for all modules in the related curriculum document have been achieved. Upon successful completion of the EISA, RPL learners will be issued with the QCTO certificate for the qualification. Quality Partners are responsible for ensuring the RPL mechanism and process for qualifications is approved by the QCTO. Entry Requirements: An NQF Level 3 qualification.

• Apply procedures to prepare and maintain food and beverage serving areas according to standard methods, procedures, or techniques, applying safety protocols as required.
• Demonstrate the capacity to welcome and interact with customers by applying essential customer service and communication methods, procedures, and techniques.
• Demonstrate an ability to prepare basic hot and cold beverages, applying standard methods, procedures, techniques, and safety protocols as required.
• Demonstrate an ability to attend to customers' needs, serve food and beverages, gathering and interpreting customer needs and adhering to food and beverage serving principles.
• Perform a range of customer-focused activities to conclude customer service and manage food and beverage serving inventory, applying essential and relevant methods, procedures, and techniques.