Baker Apprenticeship Standard

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Knowledge

K1: The bakery sector: size and structure, types of customers, seasonal impact on bakery product demand. How and why production methods have evolved, current and emerging bakery technology and digitalisation: equipment and processes, reference sources and management information systems.
K2: Consumer requirements and current trends; impact on the bakery industry.
K3: Baking theory: mixing, proving, retarding, resting, baking, cooling; their function and how they affect product quality.
K4: Basic recipe formulation.
K5: Bakery methods and processes: weighing, mixing, dividing, proving, shaping, scaling, blocking/forming, baking, fry-off, pre-bake, cooling and finishing; requirements and purpose.
K6: Bakery equipment: different types of mixers, processing equipment, ovens, hotplates, knifes, packaging, labelling; their application, cleaning and operational checks requirements.
K7: Main bakery ingredients: flour, yeast, salt, sugar, fats, improvers, water, eggs; their origins, properties, nutritional value, purposes and uses, grades and quality, how they interact, storage, handling and transport.
K8: Principles of making dough: changes in physical properties during processing, types of dough for different products; bulk fermentation and no time doughs (Chorleywood bread process).
K9: Finished baked products requirements: packaging, labelling, storage, handling and transportation.
K10: Maximising product yield efficiency and waste minimisation.
K11: Bakery legislation, regulations and requirements: Food Safety, Allergen control, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), labelling, acrylamide, bakery-related asthmagens (powders), flour dust.
K12: Health and Safety at Work Act 1974; Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, Risk assessments and method statements, manual handling, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and standard operating procedures.
K13: Environmental: Environmental protection Act 1990, sustainable and responsible use of resources and recycling.
K14: Hygiene procedures: personal hygiene standards and bakery hygiene.
K15: Common baking faults and issues; problem solving.
K16: Quality assurance and monitoring of processes.
K17: Verbal and non-verbal communication techniques.
K18: Documentation requirements; compliance records.
K19: Equality and diversity in the workplace.
K20: Craft baker. Different types of pastry: sweet, savoury.
K21: Craft baker. Raising agents used in confectionery: baking power, bicarbonate of soda, egg, egg white.
K22: Craft baker. Aeration techniques – mechanical, natural and chemical.
K23: Craft baker. Principles of lamination.
K24: Plant baker. Large scale production principles. Uniformity and consistency to drive consumer satisfaction.
K25: Plant baker. Automated and mechanical processing methods.
K26: Plant baker. Audit requirements.
K27: Plant baker. Ingredient management and batch processing in large scale production.
K28: Retail baker. Display requirements: plans, hot spots, relationship between sales and space, stock levels, height, rotation, replenishment.
K29: Retail baker. Customer service techniques; complaints process.
K30: Retail baker. Selling techniques: matching products to customers’ needs, up-selling.
K31: Retail baker. Product knowledge: suitability, complementary items.

Skills

S1: Read and interpret information for example, specification, recipe and production plan.
S2: Plan bakery tasks.
S3: Prepare for bakery tasks. Obtain materials.
S4: Prepare ingredients.
S5: Weigh or check weight of ingredients/products.
S6: Mix ingredients.
S7: Deposit, scale or cut/divide mixture.
S8: Mould products.
S9: Monitor prove.
S10: Pre-bake and/or post-bake dressing of product.
S11: Select, prepare/set-up and use equipment and machinery.
S12: Operate ovens.
S13: Clean and check tools and equipment.
S14: Monitor materials/stock levels and controls for example, first in first out, temperature and environment.
S15: Receive and store materials/stock from external suppliers and/or internal stores.
S16: Store finished goods.
S17: Package and label bakery products for example, allergens.
S18: Comply with health & safety, food safety, environmental procedures, PPE, hygiene and method statements.
S19: Clean and tidy work area. Dispose of waste and recycle.
S20: Communicate verbally for example, with colleagues, suppliers and customers.
S21: Record information - paper based or electronic.
S22: Identify bakery product problems/faults and underlying causes.
S23: Craft baker. Scale up/down a recipe using percentages.
S24: Craft baker. Prepare and apply fillings/coatings.
S25: Plant baker. Follow product changeover procedures.
S26: Plant baker. Check product specifications throughout the key process steps; identify and rectify or report production issues.
S27: Retail baker. Serve customers for example, determine customer’s needs, provide information, offer options and match bakery products to customers’ needs. Sell to customers for example, promote complementary items, promotional offers or seasonal products.
S28: Retail baker. Display and replenish bakery products.

Behaviours

B1: Prioritises health and safety and food safety.
B2: Takes ownership of work. For example, completes allocated tasks, seeks help if required.
B3: Consumer/customer focus. For example, strives to meet their needs.
B4: Adaptable. For example, responds positively to changing demands or new technology.
B5: Team worker. For example, polite, keeps others informed, helps colleagues, takes account of equality and diversity.
B6: Seeks learning and development opportunities.

Core occupation duties

DUTY: Prepare bakery products for customer/consumers, including packaging and labelling of bakery products.

DUTY: Contribute to material/stock control for bakery production for example, bakery ingredients, packaging, labels.

DUTY: Contribute to maintaining a clean and effective bakery production environment.

DUTY: Complete bakery documentation and records - paper-based or electronic. For example, legal and process compliance checks, hygiene records, weights and production reporting.

DUTY: Contribute to resolving issues with and making improvements to bakery products/production.

Craft baker duties

DUTY: Produce craft bread products to specification.

DUTY: Produce craft pastries and confectionery to specification.

DUTY: Amend recipes to meet craft bakery production requirements.

DUTY: Finish craft bakery products.

Plant baker duties

DUTY: Produce bread products to specification using large scale production methods.

DUTY: Produce pastries and confectionery to specification, using large scale production methods.

DUTY: Operate production bakery product changeovers.

DUTY: Conduct production quality assurance/checks.

Retail baker duties

DUTY: Produce/bake off bread products to specification, using ingredients or a mix.

DUTY: Produce/bake off pastries and confectionery, using ingredients or a mix.

Baker

Interested in a simple Skills Scan and Learning Progress Tracker tool for the Baker standard?

Knowledge

Skills

Behaviours

Core occupation duties

Craft baker duties

Plant baker duties

Retail baker duties

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Interested in a simple Skills Scan and Learning Progress Tracker tool for the Baker standard?