Discover all the need-to-knows around ServiceIQ’s Licence Controller Qualification, better known as the LCQ. 

If the idea of owning, managing or running a bar sounds attractive, you’re in good company. There are more than 1,500 pubs, bars and nightclubs in New Zealand right now, employing thousands of talented employees dedicated to delivering exceptional customer service. 

Working in a bar is an attractive career choice for many. There’s a constant need for bar workers, so getting a foot in the industry door is relatively straightforward. It’s flexible work, which meets the requirements for a healthy work-life balance, and progression up the ranks can be rapid – especially for workers with good people skills, an engaging personality and a desire to work hard. 

Running a bar requires those same attributes and, for real career acceleration, a little more – namely, the LCQ. In a previous blog we caught up with Krissie Hagan, ServiceIQ’s Licence Controller Coordinator, who offered an insight into how ServiceIQ helps ambitious individuals and bar teams skill up and meet legal requirements with the LCQ. 

By law, a licensed premise needs to have a manager on shift who holds a valid LCQ and Manager’s Certificate to be able to sell and/or supply alcohol in Aotearoa.

There are two parts to the LCQ: Unit Standard 4646, which focuses on the legal requirements and implications of the above Act, and Unit Standard 16705, which covers the host’s responsibility requirements for duty managers of licensed premises. 

This includes understanding age verification procedures, the effects of alcohol, and strategies for managing intoxicated patrons. This knowledge helps to reduce alcohol-related harm and ensures venues remain safe and welcoming for all patrons. 

We provide the LCQ programme online, and once you have displayed the knowledge required to complete the course and assessments, you will be awarded your LCQ digitally. You can then apply for your Manager’s Certificate with your local council. 

Aside from the legalities, the business benefits are endless; fostering confidence that your people know what they’re doing, helping them understand how and why the Act applies, and protecting business reputation through compliance. For employees, it helps them advance in their careers, understand their role within the business, and provide them with a nationally recognised qualification. 

In addition to meeting legal requirements, the LCQ is also highly valued by employers. In our experience, holding the LCQ identifies you as a top performer in the bar environment – someone who is keen to take more responsibility, is trustworthy and professional. It also shows that a staff member has taken the initiative to understand New Zealand’s alcohol laws and best practices for alcohol service. 

Having an LCQ can be a real advantage when applying for more senior roles – even if you’re not at manager level just yet but are keen to progress, it’s a smart move to get qualified. Once there, the sky’s the limit and can open new career paths in hospitality, including restaurants and hotels management. 

We make it easy to apply. Register online by clicking on the ‘Get started’ button here: www.serviceiq.org.nz/lcq/get-your-lcq-online. Then you complete a simple profile, and once you’ve paid, you can start straight away. 

You have four months to complete the module but depending on your level of knowledge, it can take as little as a day to complete. You have a maximum of three attempts to answer the questions, and you can return to the module at any time within the timeframe. You will receive your results within five working days, and you can also re-register with us after six months if you don’t pass this time. 

We can also assist with reprints and expiries and, through our national LCQ database, can confirm your status if you trained with another provider or are unsure if you’ve met the necessary legal requirements previously.

Get certified. Get promoted. Start your LCQ training today and build a successful career in the hospitality sector. Grow your teams’ skills and your hospitality business with affordable on-the-job training. ServiceIQ, the workplace training specialist for the hospitality, retail, tourism, aviation, travel, and museums sectors, New Zealand wide.