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!

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© 2012 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

Attempted Robbery Foiled at the Bellagio

Jackie Valley of the Las Vegas Sun recently wrote an article outlining an attempted robbery at the Bellagio Casino last Saturday night. Two men entered the casino on Saturday evening and proceeded to the table games area. Both men were disguised with wigs and sunglasses, and attempted to use pepper spray to disable a dealer and other gamblers, and make off with over $100,000 in casino chips. Needless to say, the robbery attempt was foiled by Bellagio employees, security guards stepped in, and one alleged robber was arrested, the other is still at large. According to Metro Police, there is an ongoing investigation into the events of the evening and any other suspects involved. To read more about the events of the evening, check out the article, “Police: Bellagio Employees Foil Robbery on Casino Floor.”

As you may remember, the Bellagio was also the site of another infamous attempted robbery back in 2010 which was outlined in our blog post, “Are You Concerned About Recent Rash of Casino Robberies?” These events should serve as a reminder to casino employees and hospitality workers to always remain vigilant on the job and report any suspicious behavior to a manager or supervisor. As a security guard or casino floor employee, one has to be aware of their surroundings at all times. The job at hand is to maintain the safety and security of the staff and patrons of an establishment, and to diffuse any potentially hazardous or disruptive situation before it can happen. However, one should also be aware that it’s not just cheaters and thieves that need to be managed in a casino setting; security professional needs to be on the lookout for disruptive patrons, rowdy drunks, and even dishonest employees. Casino and hospitality professionals should refer to both their TAM® training and any additional company policies as they relate to guest safety and security.

What types of scams or suspicious behavior have you witnessed while working as a security guard? What, if anything, do you think casinos could be doing more to stop this from happening again in the future?

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© 2012 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

 

Join us at the City of North Las Vegas Vendor Exposition

Did you know that for every $100 spent at locally owned businesses, $45 stays in the local economy and helps create jobs? That is great encouragement to buy locally! TAM® of Nevada has been a part of the Las Vegas community for over 25 years, and is proud to continue offering an important service and superior product to local residents and businesses. In an effort to further connect with the community, we’ll be exhibiting at the City of North Las Vegas Vendor Exposition on Wednesday, April 18, 2012. You’ll find this event at the North Las Vegas Civic Plaza in front of City Hall, located at 2250 Las Vegas Boulevard North. Please stop by and visit us and other area service providers between 10:30am-1:30pm. The event also will have food, drawings and music and promises to be a great opportunity to meet your neighborhood business community.

To learn more about the services we offer visit our website or stop by and say “hello” on April 18th. Remember, we also offer special onsite alcohol awareness classes for groups and companies, and we’ll make sure your staff is trained the right way. Also be sure to stay up to date about this and other activities and events TAM® of Nevada will be attending by connecting with us on Facebook.

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© 2012 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

Las Vegas Job Market Shows Improvement for Hospitality Industry

Are you a job seeker in Las Vegas? Then you probably know the labor market is still very competitive right now. While we’re not out of the woods yet, according to a new report from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, the Nevada job market is starting to show some modest improvement over the same time last year (DETR). Perhaps even more interesting, the largest job gains were shown in industries that staff TAM® Card holders and other service professionals. The leisure and hospitality industry had 262,600 workers in January, 10,500 more than the same month a year ago. Food service and drinking establishments added 5,400 jobs while casino hotels and gaming establishments grew by 4,700 (8 News Now).

Are you doing all you can to maximize your employment search? Be sure to check out our blog posts “Looking for a New Career? A Job in the Hospitality Industry May Be Right for You,” and, “Landing a Job in the Hospitality Industry,” for additional tips on finding your dream job in Southern Nevada. Remember, you’ll also need to obtain your TAM® Card prior to serving or selling alcoholic beverages in Southern Nevada. Get a jump on the competition and visit our website to register for one of our online or on-site alcohol awareness classes today.

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© 2012 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada