How to Become a Baker

Are you interested in the field of baking but you’re not sure where to start?

Learn about what being a baker is like, what skills and qualities you’ll need to succeed, and how to get started in the industry.

A baker is someone who follows recipes to create various types of baked goods, such as bread loaves, cakes, buns, muffins, and more. Like many others in the food industry, a baker must follow the proper health and safety guidelines, ensuring that the ingredients are of good quality, using machines to create the dough, checking the oven temperatures, and cleaning your equipment.

You also may need to order certain ingredients and utensils if you’re running your own bakery, along with other miscellaneous items such as decorations, boxes to pack goods in, etc.

A few things that you need to know before you make your decision to become a baker:

There are many paths available to you as a chef, baker, or pastry chef. For an example of where this career can take you, discover Ben McMenamin’s career journey in the culinary industry, which took him all the way from kitchen hand to sustainability social enterprise founder.

The job prospects for this field expanded exponentially over the last five years, with 34,900 jobs in 2018. It is expected to keep on growing, up to 39,300 by 2023.

The salary for pastry chefs is typically $52,176 per annum. Bakers are typically paid a little more, at $53,026 per annum.

• Strong teamwork skills
• Find a fast-paced job enjoyable
• Can keep calm under pressure
• Strong interpersonal skills

Vocational Training

Baking doesn’t require you to go to university or any other formal education, although you’ll need to complete high school, at least up to year 10. However, there are courses you can take if you want to get into commercial baking or retail baking. For example, a Certificate III in Patisserie or something similar is required to become a master baker. This particular course will take you about a year to complete, providing you with a work placement where you will work as a baker’s assistant. With on-the-job training, you’ll learn all the know-how necessary to be successful as a pastry chef.

Culinary School

There’s also the option of enrolling in a culinary school, which can provide you with both hands-on classes along online ones as well. Certain schools will hone in on a particular type of baked good, such as focusing mainly on preparing bread, cakes, etc. Be sure to do your research before you enroll, to ensure that what you learn will align with your specialisation.

Apprenticeships

After completing a course, you should consider an apprenticeship if you haven’t already done work placement. Since this job requires a lot of practical knowledge, the best way to learn is through on-the-job training, where you can see the baking process up close. It’ll also allow you to apply your knowledge.

By becoming a certified master baker, many employment opportunities open top for you. From commercial bakers to retail baking, from manufacturing and accommodation, there are several areas you can work in.

If, by chance, you are still struggling to find work in this area, perhaps completing another qualification should be your next course of action. Training.com.au offers a variety of courses, such as hospitality management courses, that you can increase your employability. Browse a complete list of hospitality courses related to baking.

To summarise what you learn, here are the key skills and baking techniques you’ll learn throughout your training:

Your culinary journey starts here

Start your journey towards an exciting career as a baker.
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