what to do to become a baker?

Croc

i got enough of city life for a while now and so does my wife
was looking at opening fish & chips or some other food thing in quite small town.

but my wife tells me i should open bakery because i make good bread
idea maybe not too bad because there is no bakery over there but i don't think bread and rolls on its own would be enough to keep people coming and since it is small town you need them all coming all the time or you out of business i figure.

so can any one point me in right direction or maybe beat the idea of me with big stick if you think it is a bad one.

i got block of land over there but we wont build for couple of years so i got time.

how should i use it?

do i need person with food handling certificate or whatever it is called or could i master my own baking style and run bakery without any certificates.

i seen tafe got retail baking that goes for 3-4 years and it is part time plus apprientince spot in bakery? it would be hard to do this, it if was only TAFE and part time than sure or quick course of 12hours a day sort of thing, but to put everything upside down for 4 years is bad idea for me as i run computer related business that eats up most of my time.

when i came to australia first time i worked in bakery for a while (no bread but pizza bases only) so i know how to use big mixer, owen, etc... than on top of that i love baking so i got time to work out my own range of products in my own time and write all down, etc...

every time we go over there for weekend we feel sorry for all those people that got no bread other than what milkbar is selling (those things that look like bricks and tase the same for whole week)

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Replies

forno 2006 July 18

I have been in and out of the hosiptality industry many times since I left school. Both as a chef and as front of house/management.

My first comment is that there is an amazing amount of work and time involved in running a cafe, bakers have told me about their long nocturnal work hours.

What I would suggest is to buddy up to a baker of the sort you would see yourself becoming and have a chat to them aqbout it and maybe see if you can do some shifts with them to get a feel for the lifestyle.

KazaKhan®© 2006 July 18

[quote="Croc"]
i seen tafe got retail baking that goes for 3-4 years and it is part time plus apprientince spot in bakery...
[/quote]
I'm currently doing the commercial baking course at TAFE, it does not have to take 3-4 years. I'm doing 2 days a week and will be finished this time next year. The course has had artisan bread & chocolate courses added so it's an extra year for new apprentices doing 1 day a week. There is also block release where each module of the course can be done in 3 weeks full-time.

Croc 2006 July 18

[quote="KazaKhan?®©"]
[quote="Croc"]i seen tafe got retail baking that goes for 3-4 years and it is part time plus apprientince spot in bakery...
[/quote]
I'm currently doing the commercial baking course at TAFE, it does not have to take 3-4 years. I'm doing 2 days a week and will be finished this time next year. The course has had artisan bread & chocolate courses added so it's an extra year for new apprentices doing 1 day a week. There is also block release where each module of the course can be done in 3 weeks full-time.[/quote]

which tafe is that? the one i looked at (i think it was moorabin and box hill) had 3 years for retail baking and 4 if i wanted to cover pastry as well.

i seen your photos and it looks great so as long i can cut the process down as much as possible i would love that 3 weeks of full time instead of part time.

as for apprentice thing, what is it like time wise?

Croc 2006 July 18

[quote="forno"]
I have been in and out of the hosiptality industry many times since I left school. Both as a chef and as front of house/management.

My first comment is that there is an amazing amount of work and time involved in running a cafe, bakers have told me about their long nocturnal work hours.

What I would suggest is to buddy up to a baker of the sort you would see yourself becoming and have a chat to them aqbout it and maybe see if you can do some shifts with them to get a feel for the lifestyle.
[/quote]

that is why baking would really suit me, being a computer geek i do tones of work at night and love it, no one to piss you off around and lots of silence, perfect.

KazaKhan®© 2006 July 18

[quote="Croc"]
which tafe is that? the one i looked at (i think it was moorabin and box hill) had 3 years for retail baking and 4 if i wanted to cover pastry as well.
[/quote]
Hamilton and only basic pastry is covered, started it today in fact
[quote="Croc"]
i seen your photos and it looks great so as long i can cut the process down as much as possible i would love that 3 weeks of full time instead of part time.
[/quote]
Photos?
That's 3 weeks for each module. It's usually 1 day a week for 18 weeks for each module and there are six modules.
[quote="Croc"]
as for apprentice thing, what is it like time wise?
[/quote]
What do you mean?

Croc 2006 July 18

[quote="KazaKhan?®©"]
[quote="Croc"]which tafe is that? the one i looked at (i think it was moorabin and box hill) had 3 years for retail baking and 4 if i wanted to cover pastry as well.
[/quote]
Hamilton and only basic pastry is covered, started it today in fact
[quote="Croc"]
i seen your photos and it looks great so as long i can cut the process down as much as possible i would love that 3 weeks of full time instead of part time.
[/quote]
Photos?
That's 3 weeks for each module. It's usually 1 day a week for 18 weeks for each module and there are six modules.
[quote="Croc"]
as for apprentice thing, what is it like time wise?
[/quote]
What do you mean?[/quote]

those photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/kazakhan/page2/

i been looking all over again and still can't find anything as short as you said
the one i mentioned is here as you see 3-4 years
http://www.angliss.vic.edu.au/courses/b ... g_crse.htm

in regards to "apprentice thing" i'm just not sure how this works?
do i go to tafe and they do the whole thing for me or do i have to find bakery that needs apprentice and if so what this looks like? do i go to learn something at bakery or is this sort of job or what?

i prefer to just EDUCATE with hands on at TAFE or whatever.

or do course at TAFE and the hands on do myself.
if i really need to do some "big" homework i can gain access to bakery during afternoons all to myself.

KazaKhan®© 2006 July 19

[quote="Croc"]
i been looking all over again and still can't find anything as short as you said
[/quote]
It's unlikely you would. As I've implied the course is aimed at apprentices however there is no rule you have to do 1 day a week for 3-4 years, you can do as many days a week as is available in which case it will not take so long.

[quote="Croc"]
in regards to "apprentice thing" i'm just not sure how this works?
do i go to tafe and they do the whole thing for me or do i have to find bakery that needs apprentice and if so what this looks like? do i go to learn something at bakery or is this sort of job or what?
[/quote]
You would need to find a bakery and ask about being put on a New Apprenticeship. New Apprenticeships do not take 4 years it is flexible in order to attract mature age people into trades.

[quote="Croc"]
i prefer to just EDUCATE with hands on at TAFE or whatever.

or do course at TAFE and the hands on do myself.
if i really need to do some "big" homework i can gain access to bakery during afternoons all to myself.
[/quote]
Which is pretty much what I'm doing. I'm currently an at home dad looking after my daughters and doing the baking course with a view to getting into the industry next year probably as a new apprentice but if not I'll do my own thing...

Croc 2006 July 19

[quote="KazaKhan?®©"]
Which is pretty much what I'm doing. I'm currently an at home dad looking after my daughters and doing the baking course with a view to getting into the industry next year probably as a new apprentice but if not I'll do my own thing...
[/quote]

so you saying i can get the certificate without actually going to bakery as apprentice?

KazaKhan®© 2006 July 19

[quote="Croc"]
so you saying i can get the certificate without actually going to bakery as apprentice?
[/quote]
Yes and no. Some TAFEs will let you in off the street some will not, most likely it depends on the numbers of apprentices in the courses. There is at least 4 classes at Hamilton all with apprentices at varying levels and there is a few of us non-apprentices. The annual TAFE fee is almost $600 (full-time)and then there is another $400-$500 to be spent on a uniform, tool kit and books. The TAFE fee is waived for the unemployed etc.

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