BAKERY, PÂTISSERIE AND CONFECTIONERY

ACADEMY OF FOOD AND RURAL BUSINESS BAKERY, PÂTISSERIE AND CONFECTIONERY

PRACTICALLY BASED

Spend the majority of your time at college working in our bespoke bakery

Turn your love for bakery and pâtisserie into a rewarding career.

If you have a passion for pâtisserie or just love to bake, studying at Reaseheath is the perfect way to develop your skills.

What’s particularly great about our bakery courses is that they are all primarily practically based, which means you’ll spend the majority of your time at college working in our bespoke bakery.

Our facilities are the same as you would expect to see in industry, and they include a breadmaking room, pâtisserie area, chocolate room and cake decorating room. From baking in our industrial sized ovens and preparing products for sale on campus to creating bespoke baked goods, confectionery and chocolates, no two days in the bakery industry are ever the same. At a glance

Level 1 Foundation in Food Retail

Level 2 Diploma in Professional Bakery Level 3 Diploma in Professional Bakery

WHY STUDY BAKERY, PÂTISSERIE AND CONFECTIONERY AT REASEHEATH?

We are industry focused so you’ll be taught by supportive and professional staff, all of who have a range of industry experience. Become career ready by undertaking a work placement where you will meet influential pâtisserie chefs and bakers.

Enhance your CV by completing additional certificates in food safety and health, risk assessment and HACCP safety. Learn modern and traditional methods in your cake decorating lessons.

Enjoy study trips to UK companies, behindthe-scenes visits to large artisan bakeries and lectures from internationally recognised cake designers. Explore new product development ideas and get creative in our stateof-the-art food centre.

Where could your career take you?

Bakery is one of the biggest and fastest growing areas of the food and drink manufacturing industry. Every day, millions of loaves of bread and baked goods are made and sold around the world. In this sector, you’ll never stop learning and developing your skills.

There’s plenty of opportunities to turn your passion for puddings, pâtisserie and all things baking into a rewarding career. Here’s an idea of what some of our students have gone on to do:

• Artisan baker

• Cake decorator

• Bakery operative

• Pâtisserie chef

• Bakery engineer

University study

If you wish to progress onto higher study after you have finished your course, you can study a foundation degree in Bakery and Pâtisserie Technology. Many of our bakery students then go on to study their degree at University Centre Reaseheath. We offer a BSc (Hons) in Food Manufacturing with Operations Management Top-Up to help you further enhance your career in the food industry. Abi’s story

Abi Donaldson

Level 2 Diploma in Bakery and Patisserie 2018 Level 3 Diploma in Professional Bakery 2019 Foundation Degree in Bakery and Patisserie Technology 2021 School: Rivington and Blackrod High School, Bolton Job title: Cake business owner “I realised that Reaseheath was the best college for me because it has professional facilities and experienced staff.

“I’m now in the final year of my degree and launching my own cake business, AbiDBakes. I can’t believe how far I’ve come!

“My enterprise started as a portfolio of cakes I’d made for friends and family. There was so much interest on social media that I decided to register as an official business. I’m starting on-line but may open my own shop in the future.

“The business modules I studied at Level 3 and degree level gave me the skills and confidence to go through the process and I also completed the hygiene certificates at college.”

INDUSTRY FOCUSED

When working in our bakery, you will be getting real life experience of working in an industry setting, which is great preparation for your future career.

Max’s story

Max Harley-Mills

Level 2 Diploma in Professional Bakery School: Home educated Next step: Level 3 Diploma in Professional Bakery Ambition: Patisserie Chef “I feel as if I’m following in the footsteps of my maternal grandfather, Royal Navy Commander Harry Harley. He was the commanding officer of the Royal Naval Cookery School, which had the honour of making the cake for the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in July 1981.

“We have a copy of the letter from Buckingham Palace, passing on the Prince and Princess of Wales’ thanks and praising the taste and superb appearance of the cake, which makes me feel very proud.

“I’ve always had the drive to provide food for people, particularly baking, so I think it must be in my family’s genes!”

Where you’ll be studying

From full-scale chocolate manufacture to proving, pastry lamination, mixing and product bake off, our small-scale state-of-the-art commercial bakery has all the capabilities and diversity expected within large-scale manufacturing. This means when you’re working in the bakery, you are getting real life experience of working in an industry setting, gaining vital preparation for going into employment.

What’s unique about our food centre is we’re British Retail Consortium Grade AA (Issue 7) accredited. We are the only educational institution in the UK to be awarded with this BRC food safety standard, so we’re well respected throughout the industry. It also means that when you make products on-site, you’ll have the chance to sell them at special events and throughout the year on campus. From classroom to competitions

You’ll learn a host of skills during your time as a bakery student. From the basics like making the perfect sponge cake, decorating it using your newly found skills in cake decorating, using sugar paste, royal icing and modelling paste, to designing biscuits, chocolates and pastries – there’s so much variety!

Benefit from our industry links

One of the great things about studying professional bakery at Reaseheath is our key industry links and partners. We have a great relationship with Renshaw’s Academy, where students have the chance to take part in professional training, including cake modelling.

All bakery students will complete relevant work placements with a range of companies, from independent smaller artisan bakeries including Hurst Village Bakery, Greenhalghs Bakery, Slatterys chocolatiers, to large scale commercial bakeries including Bakkavor.

Industry view

Natalie Porter

Author and Owner of ‘Immaculate Confections’ “One thing I know for sure is that you never stop learning. Throughout my career there has always been something new to learn and develop, be it the latest trends for contemporary wedding cakes, a new product or different ways of working.

“The cake industry is fast paced and full of opportunities, whether working in a commercial bakery, for one of the many large manufacturers of ingredients and equipment, or for yourself as a self-employed artisanal baker. I love the creativity of the industry and delight in the fact that no two days are ever the same!”

DID YOU KNOW? The manufacture of bread, fresh pastry goods and cakes made up 26% of all jobs in the food and drink manufacturing industry in 2019. The manufacture of biscuits, preserved pastry goods and cakes made up 31%!

Bethany’s story

Bethany Pickett

Level 2 Diploma in Professional Bakery 2020 School: Lakeland Academy, Ellesmere Next step: Level 3 Diploma in Professional Bakery Ambition: Craft cake business “I’d like to run a home based bakery business and feel that my Level 2 has helped me take a big step towards that goal.

“One of our projects was to prepare to launch a food business. I got some great ideas to put into practice, like how to convert premises and choose and market products.

“I’d like to build up a range of personalised and novelty cakes, as I love cake decorating and making models. I’m already making fun cakes for family friends and I’m looking forward to learning more specialist skills at Level 3. I’m quite creative and find my GCSE art techniques come in handy!” Our courses

If you’re serious about a career within the pâtisserie or bakery sector, then look no further. Our bakery courses will equip you with all the skills and knowledge needed to progress into a successful career in the industry.

Whether your ambition is to start your own bakery business or gain employment within a commercial bakery, the experience you’ll gain from working in our industry standard commercial Food Centre will put you in good stead.

Level 1 Foundation in Food Retail If you’re interested in food, this is a great way to gain some basic skills in food preparation and retail sales.

Level 2 Diploma in Professional Bakery Thinking of a career in bakery? This introductory course is a great starting point

Level 3 Diploma in Professional Bakery An in-depth technical course, ideal for those who are serious about the science and skill behind the professional bakery industry

Discover our courses: reaseheath.ac.uk/bakery

CAREER READY

You’ll become career ready by studying with us as all bakery students complete relevant work placements with a range of companies for that all important industry experience.