Baker
Bakers make bread, cakes and pastries by hand and with catering equipment.
Also known as: Industrial baker, baking operative, artisan baker, craft baker
- Starter salary£19,000 a year
- Experienced£26,000 a year
- Typical hours40 to 45 a week
What you'll do
As a baker, you could:
- weigh and mix ingredients by hand or using machinery
- bake bread, cakes and patisserie products in batches
- decorate and finish baked items ready for dispatch or shop display
- make quality and food safety checks
- stocktake and order supplies
- develop new recipes and products
Working environment
You could work at a store or in a factory.
Your working environment may be dusty, physically demanding and noisy.
You may need to wear protective clothing.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- knowledge of food production methods
- the ability to work well with your hands
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to work well with others
- maths knowledge
- excellent verbal communication skills
- the ability to use your initiative
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
How to become a baker
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
College
You can do a college course, for example:
- hospitality and catering
- bakery
- professional bakery
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
Apprenticeship
You could begin your career by applying to do an apprenticeship, such as:
- Baker Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
- Lead Baker Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
- Pastry Chef Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
These can take around 2 years to complete.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
Work
You may be able to start as a trainee or assistant in a bakery shop, supermarket or food production plant, and work your way up through training on the job.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- get a food hygiene certificate by completing a short course at a college, a training centre or through your local council
Career path and progression
With experience, you could become a bakery supervisor or production manager in a factory, or move into commercial sales.
You could also become a technical adviser or development baker for a baked goods or catering equipment company.
Another option is to specialise, for example in patisserie, or become an artisan craft baker and set up your own business.
Guides for this industry
Related roles
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