Would you like to learn how to become a baker? Becoming a baker is an excellent career choice for someone who is an early riser, likes working with their hands and enjoys seeing a finished product as the result of their hard work. Bakers typically arrive to work in the middle of the night or very early morning to begin their day. Bakers begin preparing bread and other baked goods early so that they are ready when the rest of the world starts their day. Bakers usually go about their work quietly in the kitchen, however, there are cable television shows like the Ace of Cakes that show it can be a glamorous career.

Bakers are responsible for baking bread, cakes, pies, rolls, doughnuts, bagels, croissants, and any other type of baked goods that a bakery offers. Specialized bakers often become pastry chefs or a variety of other specialized types of bakers. Most bakers are employed in commercial bakeries, producing large quantities of their specific product. Some bakers are employed in grocery stores, while others work in specialty restaurants.http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos219.htm Bakers usually work under strict schedules with critical timelines, the work can be stressful and physically demanding. Bakers spend a lot on time on their feet in a hot kitchen. Depending upon their specific duties, bakers often need to be skilled in baking, icing and decorating. They must know how to mix ingredients and understand the way heat will transform the mixture. If they are working in their own bakery, the baker will need to know how to operate a business. In addition, all bakers must know and follow all government health and safety rules. Many bakers begin as a trainee or apprentice and work their way up over time.http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos219.htm

A career in a bakery as a baker can be stressful, but rewarding. For those who enjoy repeatedly seeing a finished product for their hard work, then becoming a baker is a way to accomplish this on a daily basis. Bakers need to enjoy working with their hands, and not mind having to keep a very clean, sanitary working area, while getting their hands dirty with flour and or dough on a regular basis. On this page you will find information, videos and links that will help you in your quest to become a baker.

Bakers must have the ability to work both independently and as part of a team, while following directions and meeting deadlines. It is important to remember that bakers spend a large part of each day on their feet in a hot kitchen. Bakers are often required to lift heavy bags of flour, sugar and other ingredients. Bakers need to have skills in mixing ingredients and understanding how the mixture will respond to heat. Some bakers produce only standardized products that must be uniform, but for bakers who work in smaller specialized shops it will probably be necessary to have creativity in order to design and produce new products. http://www.ehow.com/how_2061065_become-baker.html

Bakers need to have at least a high school diploma, and different states have various requirements. Many bakers go to culinary school, which is an excellent way to develop skills needed for this field. Seek out an apprenticeship; you may be able to attend culinary school and complete an apprenticeship at the same time. Consider carefully which culinary school to attend, find out what the employment rate is for graduates, and if they have a person or department to help you find a job. As a baker, although not absolutely necessary, you may want to obtain at least a certificate as a baker. If you do choose to attend culinary school, you will want to choose a school with a strong program in this career area. http://www.adigitaldreamer.com/culinary-schools.htm

Even though some bakers do go to culinary school, an advanced education is not always necessary in order to become a baker. Often a high school diploma is all that is required. Many are able to develop skills through on-the-job training as an apprentice or a trainee and, in fact, this may form the major part of their education as a baker. In lieu of culinary school, some who plan to become a baker attend community college, taking courses in culinary arts. It may also be helpful to take business courses, if one wants to own their own bakery. Bakery owners need to have knowledge in business, accounting and marketing. All bakers need to have knowledge of nutrition and how to use and maintain machineryhttp://careers.stateuniversity.com/pages/5/Baker.html Many of these skills may be developed on the job; however formal course work from a community college and/or culinary school may help one advance faster, especially if owning your own business is your long term goal. In addition to general skills, some entering the field as a baker may wish to specialize in certain areas. If this is part of your career goals, then courses at a community college and or attending a full program at a culinary school may prove to be very valuable.

If your career goals are to become a bakery chef, formal training and culinary school education may be very helpful in advancing in your career. A bakery chef is usually the one in charge of the kitchen, in a large company there may be many bakers that the bakery chef will supervise in a kitchen. The bakery chef will be the one in charge of the kitchen, deciding work schedules and keeping the kitchen well stocked, by placing orders for necessary ingredients. Bakery chefs may also be responsible for seeing that machinery is well cared for and repaired when necessary. http://www.ehow.com/how_4473723_become-bakery-chef.html

Some bakers may aspire to become a pastry chef. Pastry chef specialize in the area of desserts; a baker is more of a generalist, working with all types of breads. Pastry chefs may also supervise other pastry workers. To advance to the level of pastry chef, it will either take years of experience or be necessary to obtain training at a culinary school. Even with culinary school training, experience will be an important factor in career advancement. In addition to specialized pastry shops, a pastry chef may also find employment in a hotel or large hotel chain. The specialized skills required to become a pastry chef, will take time and training but can lead to a very rewarding career. http://www.jobprofiles.org/retpastrychef.htm