Should I Pursue a Career in Baking?

---

If you want to pursue a baking career, you must do it out of passion and not solely for financial benefits. After all, baking is an art and must be treated accordingly. If you want to know if this job is appropriate for you, you must learn more details about the job outlook, the salary possibilities, the necessary skills and training options. This way, you will be able to take an informed decision. First of all, let’s see what a professional baker does. According to the site Study.com, a baker prepares baked goods such as cookies, bread, pies, cakes and rolls. He makes all these delicacies for different businesses, such as schools, bakeries, stores and restaurants. Moreover, as a baker, you will also have to create new recipes, order the ingredients and make the inventory, clean the equipment and mix and measure the ingredients. Now, let’s see why you should pursue a career in baking.

Training and Education

In order to start a baking career, you must first graduate from an accredited culinary school. However, if you are extremely talented, it is not compulsory to pursue a culinary degree. You can begin this career as an assistant or apprentice and learn from professional bakers. At the same time, you can get hired at a specialty bakery, a baked goods manufacturer, a supermarket and get on-the-job training. A certification as a master or journey baker will also help you become a professional baker.

Some specialties require having a culinary degree. For example, if you want a baking career as a pastry chef in a 5-star restaurant, then you should search for a school specialized in this field. On the other hand, if you are satisfied with a job in a supermarket or a commercial bakery, then you won’t need formal training as working as an apprentice will surely help you.

The Skills You Need

As a baker, you will need to pay attention to details and you will also have to measure the ingredients carefully. Baking is an art, but has its share of science, so you must follow the recipe to the letter in order to prepare delicious goodies. Moreover, if you want to pursue the baking career, you must also be aware of the safe food handling techniques and the sanitation practices. Last, but not least, as a professional baker, you should expect to work at night or early in the morning and usually in shifts. Also, as a baker, you are going to work in hot kitchens, so you must like or at least tolerate the heat.

Financial Benefits

Unfortunately, the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the United States reports that, by 2020, the demand for baking jobs will grow very little. The businesses will be in search of highly skilled and talented bakers who are able to prepare artisan products.

Regarding salary, the average payment for a baker is $25,060 per year. However, this salary depends on the employer and the experience of the baker. For example, the bakers working for the government institutions have earned up to $46,000 per year. Thus, if you choose to pursue a baking career, you must know exactly where to get a job.