Are You New to Nevada? You Must Complete a Nevada-Specific Alcohol Awareness Class

TAM CardAre you new in town and hoping your out-of-state alcohol awareness card is valid for your new job in Las Vegas? Don’t put yourself or your employer at risk, alcohol education cards from out-of-state won’t transfer in Nevada. Industry professionals should complete alcohol awareness training with TAM® of Nevada to meet local requirements.

Workers are drawn to this great state for its booming entertainment and nightlife industry, and all of the hospitality jobs that come along with the action. We often receive inquiries from out-of-state students asking if their alcohol education cards and education are transferable in Nevada. Why repeat training if it’s unnecessary? Unfortunately, liquor laws are specific to the states, counties and municipalities, so no, alcohol licenses are not transferable. You will need to take another alcohol awareness course here in Nevada before you begin your career.

All individuals hoping to work in the beverage sales and service industry in Nevada must complete an alcohol training program that has been approved by the Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education. Furthermore, check with your employer, in many cases an official TAM® brand card is required. TAM® of Nevada is an approved provider, and the only official provider of TAM® Cards in the state of Nevada.

Individuals that need to obtain their TAM® Card can complete their training online or in a traditional classroom environment with our certified instructors. Additionally, we now offer open lab time on Tuesdays for students who would like to complete their alcohol awareness training online, but do not have access to a computer. Students are welcome to visit our training center and use our computer lab to complete their training on Tuesdays between 9:00am and 5:00pm. Likewise, classroom-based training is available at several convenient times throughout the week, including Spanish classes on Tuesday evenings. Check out our alcohol awareness class schedule to find a class that is convenient for you!

© 2013 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

TAM® Students Tell Us What They Think – Satisfaction From Start to Finish!

Often imitated, never duplicated, TAM® of Nevada has been the sole provider of official TAM® Cards to the Las Vegas community for over 25 years, and we are always striving for customer satisfaction. If you’ve completed your alcohol awareness training with us in the past, you know that at the conclusion of the course we invite students to complete a short survey about their experience with TAM® of Nevada.

We always read customer comments and feedback, and are happy to report that TAM® Students are overwhelmingly happy with our training program. Some quick facts include:

  • 94% of our customers surveyed were very satisfied or satisfied with the training they received.
  • 98% of customers surveyed would definitely or probably recommend TAM to a friend or family member.

Additional feedback from our students includes:

  • Keep up the good work with the amazing, informative, and friendly staff! I learned a lot of things I’ve never known about alcohol!
  • I have had a TAM card since the inception. This was the best and most informative class I have ever attended!
  • The office staff from top to bottom was helpful and nice. That’s rare these days.

As a reminder to our students who haven’t yet completed our customer survey, we randomly choose a survey respondent every quarter to win a $100 Amazon gift card. Congratulations again to Jamie M., our most recent winner!

Thank you again to all of our TAM® students and customers for their patronage and helpful responses.

© 2012 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

 

Need a TAM® Card for the Busy Summer Season? A Rundown on Requirements

As a reminder to anyone selling or serving alcoholic beverages in Southern Nevada, you will need to obtain an alcohol awareness card if you haven’t already. Students often ask for a list of requirements and things to remember prior to taking a TAM® Class with us. Please use the following information as a “cheat sheet” of TAM Card requirements, and pass on to anyone you know who may benefit from this information.

  1. TAM® Cards are required for anyone selling or serving alcoholic beverages in Southern Nevada. This includes servers, bartenders, security professionals at establishments that sell alcoholic beverages, clerks at grocery and convenience stores who sell alcoholic beverage products, and more (Nevada Revised Statutes). Additionally, TAM Cards ARE required for anyone selling or serving alcoholic beverages for any length of time, including special one-time events. We often receive calls asking if TAM® Cards are needed for individuals who will be working to sell or serve alcoholic beverages for festivals, special weekend events, and similar situations. Even if you will only be working in this type of position for a short period of time, a TAM® Card is still mandatory.
  2. You must be 16 years of age or older to obtain a TAM Card. Read more about age requirements in our blog post, “TAM Cards for Teens.” Remember, you must be 21 years of age or older to serve or sell open alcoholic beverages, but teenagers and young adults who work as cashiers or clerks at grocery or convenience stores that sell sealed alcoholic beverages may need to obtain alcohol awareness training.
  3. You must present valid picture ID when attending a TAM® Class or sitting for a proctored exam. When you come to the TAM® Training Center for your TAM® Class, or to complete your exam if you took the online course, remember to bring a valid form of identification. Examples of valid ID include a driver license, passport, or state identification card. Please check the TAM® of Nevada website for a complete list of accepted forms of ID.
  4. Classroom training is NOT required; you can take your alcohol awareness course online. TAM® of Nevada offers classes both online or onsite. The choice is yours on which option fits best with your lifestyle and schedule. You’ll receive the same great training and a valid TAM® Card with either option.
  5. Online or in the classroom, plan on dedicating about 3 hours to your alcohol awareness training. State law requires that each student receives robust training following specific topics and curriculum, so plan to spend about three hours in your online or on-site training program followed by a short exam. Contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as a “shorter” class for students who need to renew their alcohol education cards. State law mandates that students must complete the entire program every four years to remain in compliance.

Hopefully this clears up any questions about TAM Card requirements. Sign up for one of our classes at TAM of Nevada’s website. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Resources

© 2012 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

2012 Consumer Electronics Show Comes to Town

Take the Opportunity to Promote Las Vegas as a Safe Vacation Spot and Make the Most of 150,000 Visitors

The Consumer Electronic Show (CES) is one of the biggest draws of the year in Las Vegas. Why not make the most of being on center stage to show visitors from all over the world all that Vegas has to offer? Taxi companies are planning to get more drivers on the streets, hotel room prices have skyrocketed for the week, and establishments all over town are preparing to face huge crowds of patrons looking for food, drink, quality service, and a good time.

If you’re planning to work during the course of the event, it presents a great opportunity to make a king’s ransom in tip money, and wow your guests at the same time. Are you looking for ways to get bigger tips? One thing that can set you apart from other cocktail servers and bartenders is sharing some of the Vegas inside scoop with your guests. Your guests may be in town for a business function, but you can help make their visit memorable with prompt service, extra attention and a few simple suggestions. Your guests will certainly appreciate your ability to make recommendations on parties, places to go to after dinner, or any packages or special events for conference attendees.

  1. Promote Las Vegas as a safe vacation spot. Helping to steer visitors towards sights and attractions that are fun, appealing and safe is a great way to share all that the city has to offer. With safety first in mind, encourage visitors not to walk alone at night and to stay on the strip. The Nevada Commission on Tourism’s website also has a wealth of helpful information and resources for popular attractions. Hopefully, visitors will return home to tell their friends what a great time they had! By sharing what the great state of Nevada has to offer, you can not only impress your guests and help them to enjoy a memorable experience, but hopefully they’ll spread the word, and that benefits everyone in the long run.
  2. Make suggestions to your guests for visiting popular spots around town. As a local, you can capitalize on your knowledge of what is going on in and around town. You may want to suggest use of the Las Vegas monorail, trolleys, free trams, and free shuttles. Visitors will expect crowds and having a variety of options to get around will be helpful. And, why not promote the free shows and attractions around town? Suggest checking out the fountain shows, the Fremont Street experience, the Volcano at the Mirage, the Show in the Sky at the Rio, and any other free or low cost attractions that might be worth a visit. Many guests will also appreciate your insider knowledge about where locals like the hang out, off the beaten path sites to visit, etc.
  3. Always practice safe alcohol sales and service. The lessons you learn in your TAM® course will help you to serve responsibly. A well-educated server is familiar with alcohol’s effects on the body and can recognize the dangerous signs of over-intoxication. Watch how much you are serving and how often. You can help to cut down on the number of over-intoxicated individuals who ruin the atmosphere for others, or potentially harm themselves. Also, call a cab for any inebriated drivers on your premises. Keeping them off the road helps keep us all safe.

How are you planning to make the most of the CES crowds?

Resources

© 2012 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada