Baker Job Description: Duties, Education, Training and Certification Requirements, Job Outlook and Salary
Submitted by: Gypsy Santiago
Job Overview: The main role of a baker is to create a wide range of pastries, breads and other kinds of baked goods. However, the tasks may vary depending on the job description. For example, a family-owned bakery often requires an all-around baker who makes baked goods by hand, while those employed in larger bakeries, hotels or restaurants may produce mass quantities of bread using machinery. Industry-scale bakeries and hotels usually have several types of bakers based on specialization, such as hot-bread, rolls, cakes, biscuits, pies and other types of baked goods.
Education, Training and Knowledge Requirements: Family-owned and small bakeries usually don’t have any education requirements as long as candidates have an experience in producing baked goods. Hotels and other large industries may require a degree in culinary or vocational courses in commercial baking, cake decoration or other baking courses. Experience is obtained through hands-on training. To become a pastry chef, bread makers must have several years of experience, teaching experience and classroom training.
Skills & Abilities: To become successful in this field, one should have extensive knowledge in different types of ingredients, methods and equipments used in baking as well as knowledge in health hazards and precautionary measures in quantity baking. He/she must also have the ability to adapt recipes and possess good planning skills to meet budget for supplies while maintaining quality of baked goods and meeting deadlines. Bread makers must also be creative, detail-oriented, organized and good leaders. He/she should also be able to work long hours standing and under conditions of high temperatures.
Duties:
Tasks of bakers include preparing ingredients for muffins, biscuits, rolls, cakes, breads and other baked goods according to recipes; mixing ingredients to form batter or dough; using baking equipments, measuring cups, spoons and other machinery to produce quality batter or dough, adjusting drafts and thermostatic controls needed for regulating oven temperatures; ensuring exact measurements and perfect timing are followed; and meeting production schedules and deadlines of cooked goods. Head bakers or pastry chefs may also require teaching staff about baking.
Earnings & Job Outlook: Employment in this field can be found in small bake shops, hotels, restaurants, and industry-scale bakeries. The employment growth is expected to increase as fast as the average through 2014. Salary may range from $15,000 to $20,000 per year, but may increase depending on the company and expertise, educational background and work location.
Gypsy Santiago is a professional resume writer and career search strategy/career branding coach with years of experience in assisting job seekers prepare for the job market. She helps create career-targeted resumes, provides useful tips about career transition, offers future career ideas and guide jobseekers about effective job search techniques.
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Word Count: 421 Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 Time: 9:35 AM
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