How To Become a Baker: Complete Guide

Interested in becoming a Baker? Well, you’ve come to the right place.

Based on Bakers who found jobs through OysterLink, we’ve created a step-by-step guide on how you can become a Baker. You can use this guide whether you want to pursue a culinary education or you’re more interested in a free approach to joining the industry.

Baker Job Outlook

Regardless of your motivation for pursuing this role, you’re on a promising path.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that job opportunities for Bakers are projected to grow by 5% from 2022 to 2032. This is faster than the average growth rate of 3% for all occupations. 

This graph is interactive. Hover your mouse over different parts of the graph to see detailed data. 

How To Become a Professional Baker

There are basically two ways to become a Baker and make it your career. We’re outlining each one to help you decide what’s the best first step for you.

Paid Approach To Becoming a Baker

Opinions are mixed when it comes to attending culinary school. The majority believe that you don’t need formal education, while some attest to how it has helped set them up for success. 

Baking is often referred to as a science because it requires precise measurements, temperature and time to produce the desired results. 

This highlights the need for formal classes to help you understand the basics, including the chemical reactions that occur when you mix certain ingredients at different temperatures and ratios.

What you can learn in culinary school

Basics:

• Food safety and sanitation
• How to practice mise en place
• Baker’s math
• Different types of dough
• Fundamentals of bread making

Advanced: 

• Cake designing and decorating 
• Pastry and plating trends
• Menu planning
• Cost controlling and managing inventory
• Business planning

Baker schools and programs

Here are some renowned baking schools you can attend that offer specialized Baking and Pastry programs designed to equip Bakers and Pastry Chefs with the skills needed to succeed in their roles.

Program/Course	Issuing Body	Location	Description
Baking and Pastry Program	The Culinary Institute of America	Hyde Park, New York	Offers both hands-on and theoretical training to excel in the world of pastries and desserts.
Baking & Pastry Arts	Johnson & Wales University	Providence, Rhode Island; North Miami, Florida; Denver, Colorado; Charlotte, North Carolina	It covers a wide range of topics, including baking techniques, pastry arts, cake decoration and bread making.
Pastry & Baking Arts	Institute of Culinary Education	Chicago, Illinois	Covering both classic French techniques and modern patisserie, it gives students a wide range of skills and practical experience in a professional kitchen environment.
Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management	National Louis University	Chicago, Illinois; Tampa, Florida	It prepares novice students for careers in the pastry industry, such as Baker, Pastry Chef and Chocolate Maker.
Pastry Program	The San Francisco Baking Institute	San Francisco, California	Ideal for gaining high level hands-on practice and mastering baking concepts and techniques instead of just learning about them on paper.

Baker certifications

If you were wondering how to become a certified Baker, below are some Baker certifications you can obtain that you can showcase to your potential employer, proving you’ve received training in Baking and food safety.

Some programs are geared towards beginners, while others are more suitable for Bakers who have some previous experience.

Certification	Issuing Body	Description
Certified Journey Baker	Retail Bakers of America	Geared towards newcomers in the baking journey, emphasizing fundamental knowledge of sanitation
Certified Baker	Retail Bakers of America	Designed for those with a minimum of four years of industry experience, covering management, retail sales/merchandising and staff training.
Certified Master Baker	Retail Bakers of America	An advanced certification for experienced Bakers, focusing on both technical and administrative skills required to manage the production area of a full-line independent or in-store commercial bakery.
Certified Decorator	Retail Bakers of America	Tailored for Bakers with a minimum of four years of verifiable decorating experience in a commercial/retail bakery
Certified Master Pastry Chef	American Culinary Federation	Recognizes chefs who have demonstrated mastery of culinary competence and expertise through education, experience, knowledge and skills
Certified Pastry Culinarian	American Culinary Federation	Ideal for those with a High School Diploma/GED and two years of entry-level culinarian experience, or other specified qualifications

Pros and cons of the paid approach

To help you determine if attending culinary school or obtaining a certification should be your first step toward becoming a Baker, here are the pros and cons: 

Pros:

• It can make landing a job easier since some schools offer externships that count as work experience
• Provides structured learning instead of just watching tutorials online and reading recipe books
• Looks good on a resume

Cons:

• Can be expensive
• Takes time
• Many of the same skills can be learned independently through free online resources

After completing culinary school, you might want to consider an unpaid internship in a bakery before applying for entry-level or intermediate Baker positions.

Apply for an entry-level Baker role

To make it easier for you to filter entry-level Baker jobs, aside from checking the job description to see the required qualifications, you can also prioritize the following titles during your job search: 

• Assistant Baker
• Pastry Cook
• Baker’s Helper
• Associate Baker

In these roles, you will perform duties to assist the primary Baker, such as:

• Cleaning the kitchen and washing the dishes
• Stocking ingredients
• Helping customers with their purchase 
• Preparing fillings and icings
• Kneading dough

Free Approach To Becoming a Baker

If you don’t have the time or resources to go to a baking school, you can skip it and learn on the job by finding an entry-level position in the hospitality industry and learning how kitchens and restaurants operate.

Find an entry-level position within hospitality

Starting as a Dishwasher is helpful for learning how to take care of baking tools and equipment. 

While working in a back-of-house job, inform the Pastry Chef of your interest in becoming a Baker and express your willingness to contribute to baking tasks. This way, you’ll be considered for the Baker role when an opportunity opens.

As with the first approach, consider the following pros and cons before choosing to apply for a back-of-house position to kickstart your baking career.

See also: How To Become a Chef Without Culinary School

Practice at home

This may sound silly, but the best way to get good is to practice. Start off with simple recipes and make them for your family and friends. If you can impress and wow them, you can start thinking about finding a job as an apprentice at a restaurant or a bakery.

Learn from video tutorials and blogs

A great way of learning without having to pay for culinary school is by watching YouTube videos where tons of Bakers share their tips and advice on how to improve and get better.

Here’s a video of a Bakery owner sharing her success story and how she got into baking and ultimately ended up opening her own business.

Here’s another video from a popular professional Baker on YouTube who often shares her tips and secrets of the baking industry. What’s more, she even offers specialized baking techniques specifically designed for Vegan bakers.

Other great sources are baking blogs and websites online. If you want to learn how to become a Baker with no experience, you’ll need to learn some of the most popular Baking techniques and some tasty baking recipes.

Pros and cons of the free approach

Pros: 

• Save time by learning on the job
• Earn while gaining experience
• Opportunity to network within the industry
• Good way of learning how to become a Baker at home

Cons:

• May need to wait for a long time to get a spot as a Baker
• Building relationships can be difficult since it requires convincing others to invest their time and effort in your training without immediate returns for them
• Balancing your duties in a back-of-house role with learning how to bake can be challenging

More Tips on How To Become a Baker

Here are some tips for finding your very first Baker job:

Gain extensive experience

Many established Bakers emphasize the importance of experience in securing your first job and advancing in your career. 

If you don’t have extensive professional experience, work on creating a portfolio first, so you have something to showcase.

Take pictures of what you bake at home or in baking school if you choose to attend one. Your portfolio should demonstrate your technical skills, knowledge and attention to detail. 

See also: Guide to a Baker Career

Start in small establishments

Consider looking for Baker jobs in establishments such as supermarkets and coffee shops before applying to big, independent bakeries that offer specialty items. 

Big bakeries often prioritize candidates with extensive experience. As a beginner, you might not have a chance to get an interview for a Baking job without a few years under your belt. 

Additionally, supermarkets and coffee shop bakeries tend to be less demanding in terms of workload and quality.

The idea is to ease into the job so you don’t get overwhelmed. 

Do walk-ins

Visit local bakeries in your area, introduce yourself and share your goals. A pro tip is to bring a sample of your work to make a stronger case for why they should consider you as part of their team.