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- Hands on, creative work, ideal for food lovers
- Bakeries can be noisy and dusty places, and work may involve very early starts
- Requires good practical and organisational skills along with a flair for cooking
As a baker you'll make bread, cakes or pastries and you could work in an industrial (plant) bakery, an in-store bakery or a craft bakery.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Making sure you have enough supplies
- Measuring out large quantities of ingredients
- Working safely with machinery like power mixers
- Industrial ovens and production lines
- Making dough
- Working out cooking times
- Keeping production areas clean
- Developing new products or recipes
At an industrial bakery, you'll make large amounts of baked goods for shops and supermarkets. As an in-store baker, you'll use machinery to make bread products to be sold in the shop. As a craft or artisan baker you might work in your own small bakery or for a restaurant or caterer.
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You may have very early starts or work nights or weekends. Bakeries can be noisy and dusty places. This may cause problems if you have asthma, dust allergies, or certain skin conditions; you will probably need to wear some protective clothing. You may also need to do some lifting and you may also need your own transport if working early or late shifts.
You'll need
This role would suit someone who has a love of food and cooking, who likes working with their hands and is comfortable with early morning starts.
There are no set requirements, but you could get started by doing a college course like a Level 2 Certificate in Bakery or Level 3 Diploma in Professional Bakery, or a baker intermediate or advanced apprenticeship. You may also be able to start as a trainee or as a bakery assistant. Any experience you can get of working in a catering environment and baking at home will help.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could become a bakery supervisor, charge hand or production manager. As an in-store or industrial baker, you could move into a job at a flour mill or become a sales representative. You could also become a technical adviser or development baker for a baked goods or equipment company. Another option is to become a craft baker or specialise in patisserie, and set up your own business.