How to Become a Professional Baker

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Do you love baking bread, cakes, and other delicacies? Have you thought about baking as a career? Maybe you’re not sure what you want to do, but baking seems like something you would enjoy doing professionally. Whatever your reasons for considering a career in baking, there are several things to consider. That’s where this article comes in handy. We’ve put together some of the more important things to consider when thinking about becoming a professional baker.

On the Job Training or Apprenticeship Program

Most jobs for bakers don’t require any formal training, bakers will typically learn “on the job” or through some type of apprenticeship program. If offered a choice and apprenticeship program is much preferred over simple on the job training.

With “on the job training” the aspiring baker will normally be given simple jobs at first and must learn by watching other bakers. When you feel ready to tackle a more difficult job, you will have to convince your supervisor to allow you to try your hand at it. Typically, there will be no one to teach you and you must simply pick things up on your own. Your ultimate abilities will be determined by how observant you are and the overall quality of the bakers you work with.

On the other hand, there are apprenticeship programs that offer a much better alternative than simply trying to pick skills up on the job. Apprenticeship programs offer a middle ground between formal pastry and baking training and pure on the job training. In an apprenticeship program, you would work with a professional baker who would teach you the art and craft of baking. In an apprenticeship program, you may earn a little less when you start, but your career will often advance much faster than had you simply learned on the job. Another benefit of an apprenticeship program is the connections in the industry that can be made through the master baker you apprenticed under.

Formal Pastry and Baking Training

Another route to take is by attending formal culinary arts training in pastry and baking. This normally takes two years to earn your associate’s degree in culinary arts with an emphasis in pastry and baking though some schools offer pure pastry and baking degree programs as well. As with most other occupations, formal training will greatly impact your earning potential and career advancement opportunities once you become a professional baker.

Bakers who learned on the job or through an apprenticeship program earn a median annual salary of $23,140 or $11.13 per hour. About 1/3 of these bakers are part-time employees. Compare this to bakers and pastry chefs who earned a formal culinary arts education. The median annual salary for assistant pastry chefs is $40,048 and an executive pastry chef working at a casino can earn over $100,000 per year.

However, you choose to start your career as a professional baker, you should compare the different paths and choose the one that makes the most sense for you. It never hurts to give your local culinary arts school or community college a call and find out more information about their programs in pastry and baking.