This apprenticeship is currently being developed by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board     and Twomey Bakery. This is a 2-year Level 6 Apprenticeship for the Bakery Industry.

Please check back for updates.

To view full details of this occupation, view information from our Careers database for the following occupation: Baker/Confectioner.

Having successfully completed their training, the Baker will have:

Knowledge

The history of bread making: the size and structure of the bakery sector; how and why production methods have evolved.

• Theories of baking.
• Basic recipe formulation.
• The methods and processes used in bakery, both by hand and using equipment, including weighing, mixing, proving, dividing, shaping, scaling, blocking, baking, cooling and finishing for a range of bakery products.
• How to use different types of equipment, including mixers and ovens.
• How to use knives safely including correct use and application.
• Ingredients used in bakery: how to store, handle and transport the main ingredients used in baking such as flour, yeast, salt, sugar, fats, improvers, water, eggs.
• Principles of ingredients: including their origins, properties: purposes and uses; grades and quality; and how they interact.
• Principles of making dough: including changes in physical properties during processing, types of dough for different products.
• Finished baked products: how to source, store, handle, package, label and transport types of finished baked products.
• The importance of minimising waste and maximising product yield and profit, including pricing and costing.
• How to deal with waste products and the importance of recycling to a bakery business.
• Legislation and regulations in the food industry, including health and safety, food safety, allergens, hygiene, cleaning, labelling, and environmental.
• The impact of consumer trends and requirements on the baking industry.
• How to fry off products and use hotplates.
• How to use problem-solving skills to find root cause of faults.
• Innovation and New Product Development (NPD) benefit bakery.
• How to use and apply quality assurance and monitoring process.

Skills

To produce

• A loaf by hand with no mechanical aids – using only flour, salt, water and yeast.
• Bread and cake products to specification, using both manual baking processes and mechanical processes.
• A range of pastries to specification, including sweet and savoury.
• A range of enriched doughs to specification.

and to

• Finish bakery products to specification.
• Source, handle and store ingredients and finished goods.
• Use knives, equipment and machinery.
• Comply with legislation, regulations and organisational requirements for health and safety, food safety and hygiene.
• Maintain quality by carrying out product sampling and testing against organisational and customer specifications.
• Communicate effectively with colleagues, suppliers and customers.
• Work as part of a team and individually in a commercial baking environment.
• Use problem-solving skills to find the root cause of faults.
• Manage time effectively to meet production schedule.

Competencies

• Safe Working: ensures safety of self and others, food safe, addresses safety issues and concerns.
• Ownership of work: accepts responsibility and is proactive.
• Pride in work: integrity, aims for excellence, punctual and reliable.
• Self-development: seeks learning and development opportunities.
• Integrity and respect: for all colleagues.
• Working in a team: builds good relationships with others.
• Problem-solving: identifies and participates in problem-solving.
• Responsiveness to change: flexibility to the changing environment and demands.
• Company/industry perspective: desire to learn about own company and food industry, acts as an ambassador.
• Effective Communication: with others, listens effectively, receives feedback.

Tasks and Responsibilities 

The Craft Baker typically:

• Produces individual dough-based bread and confectionery products
• Performs hand depositing, piping, and sheeting
• Produces and finishes cakes by hand
• Understands when and how to use specialized ingredients, including chocolate, fruit, icing, and jelly

Automated Bakers, who work in automated bakery settings, are required to understand:

• Automated and mechanical processing methods
• Batch processing techniques
• Mixing methods, including the Chorleywood Bread Process
• The principles of large-scale production
• Ingredient management in high-volume production
• How to use Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs)
• The principles of auditing requirements

This apprenticeship is currently being developed by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board and Twomey Bakery. This is a 2-year Level 6 Apprenticeship for the Bakery Industry.

Please check back for updates.

To view full details of this occupation, view information from our Careers database for the following occupation: Baker/Confectioner.    

This apprenticeship is currently being developed by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board     and Twomey Bakery. This is a 2-year Level 6 Apprenticeship for the Bakery Industry.

Please check back for updates.

To view full details of this occupation, view information from our Careers database for the following occupation: Baker/Confectioner. 

Finding an Employer

Finding an employer or registering your interest with an official Coordinating Provider is one of the first things you need to do to start an apprenticeship.

To find an apprenticeship and secure an apprenticeship work contract you can search apprenticeship vacancies on the Apprenticeship Jobs Portal . You can search for vacancies by location and by apprenticeship type.

Your local Education and Training Board may also hold details of employers seeking to employ an apprentice.

You should also directly connect with local employers who might be interested in taking on an apprentice. It is a great idea to get a part time job with a local employer who might be more inclined to take you on as an apprentice following a successful work experience placement or a part time job contract.

This apprenticeship is currently being developed by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board and Twomey Bakery. This is a 2-year Level 6 Apprenticeship for the Bakery Industry.

Please check back for updates.

To view full details of this occupation, view information from our Careers database for the following occupation: Baker/Confectioner.    

Apprenticeship Pay

The employer pays the apprentice for the duration of the apprenticeship. In all cases, the rate of pay is agreed between the employer and the apprentice.

Training Allowances

A training allowance is paid by the local ETB to apprentices while attending off-the-job training. In some cases, a contribution towards travel or accommodation costs may be paid if deemed eligible. The sector the apprentice's employer is engaged in will determine the allowance payable.

These allowances are calculated on the gross wages paid by industry in each sector. The amount the apprentice gets will generally be less than that, as it is based on the net take-home pay of the relevant sector. The weekly gross wage norms for different industries can be found here.

Student Contribution

Apprentices pay a pro-rata registration fee if their off-the-job training takes place within a Higher Education Institute. The registration fee will generally equate to the amount of time the apprentice spends in the Higher Education Institute. The payment of the pro-rata registration fee is made by the apprentice directly to the Higher Education Institute. For further information, click here.