As a baker, you would use a range of methods to produce bread and confectionery products. You would usually work in one of three types of bakery. If you are passionate about food and enjoy baking, this could be just the type of job you are looking for.

To become a baker, you will need to have good number skills for measuring ingredients. You will also need these for ordering supplies and working out cooking times.

At a plant bakery, you would use machinery and production lines to manufacture large amounts of baked goods for shops, supermarkets and other large customers.

As an in-store baker, for example with a supermarket, you would use some automated machinery to make fresh bread products to be sold in the store.

At a craft bakery, you would create a smaller amount of products to be sold in a shop, delicatessen or chain of specialist shops. This work would be more varied, and although some machinery is used, you would do much of the work by hand.

Key skills:

• a passion for food
• good number skills for measuring ingredients, ordering supplies and working out cooking times
• practical baking skills
• creativity for developing new products or decorating confectionery
• the ability to work under pressure
• good organisational skills
• an awareness of safety and hygiene regulations
• a reasonable level of physical fitness for lifting and carrying heavy trays and sacks of flour
• good teamwork skills.

Average salary (2013):

You can apply for work as a trainee in a bakery without any specific qualifications, although employers may ask for some GCSEs, for example English, maths, science or food technology.

You could learn some of the skills and knowledge needed in this career by taking a part-time or full-time course at a local college. Relevant courses would include:

• Level 2 Certificate/Diploma in Professional Bakery
• Level 2 Certificate/Diploma for Proficiency in Baking Industry Skills
• Level 2 Certificate in General Patisserie and Confectionery.

You may be able to do this job through an Apprenticeship scheme.

Source: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk