LIFE AS A BAKER

No doubt you’ve dropped by your local bakery before and been tempted by the smell of freshly baked pastries, rolls and loaves of bread. With bread a staple of the western diet, it’s your local baker you can thank for creating the basic building blocks of many a breakfast, lunch or even dinner meal.
According to Job Outlook, a Government Initiative, in 2013 there were more than 21,000 professional Bakers in Australia, which represents a medium-sized industry. However job prospects are strong, with an estimated 10,000-25,000 new job openings in this field expected in the five years from 2013-2018. So what exactly does it take to work as a Baker? Here are some of the key responsibilities listed 

•  Opening the bakery for business (often early in the 
• Ensuring all baking equipment and premises is clean prior to and post production of any baked items begins to ensure compliance with OH&S
• Checking the quality and weight of
• Kneading, mixing and shaping dough to produce bread and pastry
• Preparing fillings for pastries and other baked bread
• Coordinating the baking process of bread and pastry
• Glazing and decorating buns, pastries, cakes
• Operating bakery machinery such as bread molders and cookie
• Dealing directly with customers as required to prepare and sell baked goods

Working as a Baker– What Attributes and Skills are Required? 

To successfully work as a Baker, you must first possess an interest in food and a passion for baking as this will help you work through the often early hours which are an integral part of the job description.  Secondly, you must possess a strong work ethic and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision as once again, you will most likely be working very early in the morning to prepare baked goods for sale during regular business hours. It can be a physically-demanding being on your feet all day, so you must be able to handle the physical stress of the job. You must also be a willing team player and be able to work well with others in both a kitchen and commercial setting – e.g at the front of the shop where you may serve customers purchasing baked goods.

 Salary Expectations

According to Payscale.com, the average hourly rate for a Baker is $20.04 (which equates to approximately $42,432 per annum). This range varies from $16.64 to $24.68 per hour from entry level to experienced baker positions or $34,345 to $54,657 per annum. Pay may also vary by employer, hours worked (with Sunday and Public Holiday shifts attracting penalty rates which can significantly boost the hourly rate), as well as location of work.

Courses and Training

To work as a baker in Australia, the educational pathway is relatively straightforward and can be considered affordable when comparing educational costs for other qualifications. A nationally recognised certificate in Food Processing, Retail Baking or a similar subject is generally all that is required to gain an entry-level position; with these certifications available at local TAFE colleges or Adult Education Centers. Another option is to pursue on-the-job-training via an apprenticeship, which some employers offer – especially the larger national bakery chains or in-house supermarket bakeries.

Future Career Paths

After completing initial training and with a few years’ worth of work experience, many bakers move into more senior manager or supervisor positions, which allows them to help train new bakers and apprentices who have just entered the industry. Since many bakery premises are also retail bakery stores there are also opportunities to gain direct retail and customer service experience which can translate into a retail manager or store manager position.