This is what it takes to become a baker in Australia!

What’s not to love about baking?

You love bread. You adore cakes. And you live for pastries! So why not take the leap and turn that passion into a career?

If you’re the type of person who can’t go a single day without thinking about the joys of baking, then we suggest you keep reading!

Of course, before you do that you’ll need to learn how to be a bakery chef, and what you need to do in order to break into this industry!

Is a baker a good career?

In a word, yes! Thanks to…

A promising job outlook

There’s a reason we use the phrase “bread and butter” to refer to the basics of something – bread is a staple of most people’s diets!

Bread isn’t going away anytime soon. And that means that the humble baker has plenty of good prospects for years to come.

Between 2014 and 2019, the number of people working in bakeries and patisserie grew from 26,100 to 31,900 – a number that’s likely to continue on an upwards trend, particularly following COVID.

And it isn’t just bakeries, either – coffee shops, restaurants, supermarkets, and hospitality businesses all rely on the humble breadmaker to fill their shelves and kitchens.

The opportunity to pursue exciting roles in patisserie

In addition to the sheer number of roles, it’s also worth thinking about the different pathways you may be able to pursue.

As we mentioned above, it isn’t just bakeries that you’ll find work in – there’s also the chance to find work in high-end cafes and coffee shops, as well as restaurants and hotels.

And with these new options comes a range of exciting roles including

Business owner or manager
Executive Pastry Chef
Pastry Chef
Baker

A varied career where no two days are alike

Enjoy an exciting and diverse career – you’ll be doing something different every day!

It isn’t just bread – many bakeries do much more, including creating sweet pastries, beautiful desserts, hearty pies, and stunning cakes.

And we haven’t even gotten started on all of the different types of bread that you will be crafting!

Long story short, a baker’s life will see them making different things every single day – if you’re the type of person who loves variety, working as a baker will tick this box for you.

Work flexibility

Unlike a lot of other careers, bakers don’t always work the traditional 9-5 hours.

While this can mean some earlier starts, it also means that bakers have more options when it comes to when they work, giving them more flexibility than many others.

Unlike other industries, pastry chefs and bakers can often build work schedules that suit their unique lifestyles.

What you have to do to become a baker: can you be a baker without a degree?

While you can pick up a lot from reading recipes online and following YouTube tutorials, there are some things you can only learn by completing your formal training.

Specifically, it means completing an appropriate course.

For example, bakeries work with much bigger, powerful, and complex pieces of equipment then you have at home. Not only that, but you’ll also find yourself producing goods at a much higher volume, rather than a few small desserts here or a loaf of bread there.

While there are other pathways to becoming a baker or pastry chef, this is the fastest one, as well as the most comprehensive.

A good course won’t just focus on training you, but also on teaching you all the theory you need to thrive in safe and hygienic environment, including:

Proper food handling procedures
The way that yeast, flour and more interact
Maintaining perishable goods and items

These are just some of the things covered as part of our baking courses in Brisbane, which combine theoretical knowledge and practical training in both online settings, classrooms and our on-site campus patisserie kitchen.

Most importantly, our focus on practical training also means that each student will be required to complete a mandatory work placement as well, no matter which specific course they’re enrolled in.

And if you’re based in Victoria, you’ll even be able to enrol in our courses for free – you can complete government funded cake decorating courses and other courses that will help you get your start as a baker, without having to pay a cent!

Certificate III in Patisserie

Learn basic and practical commercial cookery skills with a specialisation in patisserie and creating sweet and tasty bread, rolls, pastries, desserts and more.

In addition to practical training, our Certificate III in Patisserie also focuses on teaching you how to bake using environmentally sustainable work practices, as well as how to adhere to food handling laws.

And finally, you’ll also learn how to apply critical communication, teamwork and hygiene skills, all of which will be essential when you finally find yourself in a real-world bakery or dessert kitchen.

Certificate IV in Patisserie

Complete your Certificate III, and you’ll be able to move onto a Certificate IV in Patisserie.

Build upon the essentials in baking and patisserie by learning more sophisticated techniques and build on your knowledge of work health and safety practices, as well as the skills you’ll need to step up and take on more responsibilities such as management, inventory and more.

After completing Certificate IV in Patisserie, you can take your training even further by pursuing a Diploma of hospitality management.

How long does it take to become a baker?

If your goal is to work as a pastry chef in a hotel or restaurant, you’ll be able to dive right in after completing your training.

If you want to become a baker specifically however, you’ll also need to complete an apprenticeship in addition to your formal training.

Apprenticeships offer a form of work-based training, where you’ll work under an experienced baker in a real-world bakery.

This is different from a work placement in that an apprenticeship is much longer – while a placement may last for only a couple of weeks, an apprenticeship can be anywhere between 1 to 3 years.

That being said, you’ll come out the other end with a considerable amount of experience that will enable you to safely, confidently, and competently work in a bakery!

Enrol in our patisserie courses in Brisbane today!

Invest in your future and enrol in Academia’s patisserie and baking courses.

Academia offers Certificate III in Patisserie and Certificate IV in Patisserie that teaches students theoretical, technical and hands-on patisserie skills, as well as in-depth knowledge relating to managing staff and a business.

The goal? To help you get your start as a baker!

Call our friendly team at Academia and find out more about our enrolment process today.