As a baker, you would use a range of methods to produce bread and confectionery products, such as cakes, pastries and biscuits. You would usually work in one of three types of bakery: plant, in-store or craft.
In a plant bakery, you would use machinery and production lines to manufacture large amounts of baked goods for shops, supermarkets and other major consumers.
As an in-store baker, for example with a supermarket, you would use some automated machinery to make fresh bread products to be sold in the store.
In a craft bakery, you would create products on a smaller scale to be sold in a shop, delicatessen or chain of specialist shops. This work would be more varied and although some machinery is used, you would carry out much of the work by hand.

Key Skills
· a passion for food
· good number skills for measuring ingredients, ordering supplies and calculating cooking times
· practical baking skills
· creativity for moulding dough and decorating confectionery products
· the ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines
· good organisational skills
· an awareness of safety and hygiene regulations surrounding food production and machinery operation
· a reasonable level of physical fitness for lifting and carrying heavy trays and sacks of flour
· Good team working skills.