| Bakers are individuals who prepare and produce | | | | bakers start out as apprentices or trainees and |
| baked goods, including such foods as bread, pastries, | | | | acquire experience through on-the-job training. An |
| cookies, cakes, pies, etc. Many bakers work in small | | | | aspiring baker should consider applying to a specialty |
| bakeries or specialty shops, where they will make | | | | bakery to become an apprentice or to a supermarket |
| small quantities of baked goods for consumers. | | | | to become a bakery trainee. Through education and |
| Creativity is often required for bakers in this setting, | | | | experience, a baker will need to acquire knowledge of |
| because customers will order specialty items, such as | | | | nutrition, baking and production processes, government |
| wedding and birthday cakes, baked and decorated to | | | | health and sanitation regulations, ingredients (how they |
| order. Other bakers work in large-scale manufacturing | | | | mix and how they are affected by heat), and |
| operations, where they use high-volume industrial | | | | machinery (how to operate and maintain). Those who |
| equipment to mass-produce larger amounts of product | | | | aspire to own their own bakery also need to acquire |
| in a short timeframe. Many of these types of items | | | | business and accounting skills. |
| are then sold through distributors, grocery stores, or | | | | While not mandatory, a useful credential for a baker to |
| manufacturers' outlets. Opportunities for advancement | | | | obtain is certification from the Retail Bakers of |
| in the profession include becoming a bakery supervisor, | | | | America (RBA). An RBA certification validates the |
| production manager, or owning one's own bakery | | | | knowledge, skills, and abilities of a professional baker |
| business. | | | | and will likely increase his/her job opportunities and |
| Education, Certification, Licensing | | | | income. Four different levels of certification are |
| An advanced education is not required to become a | | | | available. Those who wish to become certified must |
| baker, but it is certainly helpful. A prospective baker | | | | satisfy a combination of education and experience |
| would be smart to look for high school or community | | | | requirements, depending on the level of certification |
| college courses in the culinary arts. An even better | | | | desired. |
| move would be to apply to a culinary school. Most | | | | |