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Are you a professional baker who wants to master the latest pastry recipes or baking trends, a home baker who wants to improve your baking skills, or are you looking for a new career?  Whatever situation or stage of life you are in attending one of the many accredited baking schools would advance your career and increase your knowledge of baking techniques and equipment.

Most restaurants, professional bakeries or large manufacturers of baked goods require their employees have at least a high school diploma. But because there are so many vying for the same position it is adamant that you have as much on your resume as possible.

The demand for artisan bread and pastry bakers has increased steadily through the years. This is because there are more cinnamon roll bakeries, specialty bread and bagel shops opening every day.  In addition, a lot of grocery stores and restaurants now have bakeries on their premises providing fresh baked goods daily.

Many bakers have begun their careers as apprentices under the guidance of an experienced baker.  They learn the baking craft with on the job training which can take several years.  If you want more jobs to open up for you, it would be much better to enroll in a formal training program that is offered at a nearby two year community college, a culinary arts college or professional-tech school or baking schools. 

A creative cooking school will normally include courses in food preparation, menu planning and in the baking of gourmet breads and pastries.  You will learn many other basic but very important information such as nutrition, ingredient selection, bakery ingredients and products as well as baking, icing and decorating.  You will also become familiar with mixing and baking machines, tools and equipment as well as their maintenance and operation.  You will also be required to learn local and general government health and sanitation rules and regulations.  Another important course is applied chemistry, where you will understand how ingredients mix together and are affected by heat and the mixing/kneading processes.

Working in a restaurant or bakery may seem like an exciting profession, which it truly can be, but it also is a lot of work.  Through your culinary education at one of the many accredited Baking Schools you will soon discover what a typical day in the life of a baker would include.

Each day a baker must check the baking schedule; Weigh, measure and mix ingredients to make dough, batter, fillings and icings; Work with huge and possibly complicated mixing and blending machines;  Knead, roll twist, and form dough into a variety of shapes for cookies, tarts, pies and more; Pare and cut fruits for pies and pastries; Have knowledge of the correct tools, pans and cooking sheets for each job; Setting proper oven temps and closely watching the goods as they bake; and most importantly, checking the baking equipment each day to be sure that they are up to local safety and health regulations and standards.

There are a myriad of Baking Schools listed on the internet so you will want to check on their qualifications.  You may want to travel to a location that is known for their specialty breads and pastries such as Seattle, Washington or San Francisco or even Paris or Italy.  In each of these areas you can learn about the regional trends and techniques which you can also add to your resume of baking knowledge.

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