In 2022, the NBIA has made it one of our strategic goals to facilitate a skilled workforce and promote the baking career path. This is a long-term goal that is providing a variety of challenges of which we are approaching from many angles.
We have formed a group known as the Baking Industry Working Group (BIWG), where we are working with government departments and industry stakeholders on a project to promote the baking career path to a young and unemployed demographic. Our end goal is to develop a collection of marketing collateral that can be used by the industry to recruit more apprentices.
In the initial researching stage of the project, current baking apprentices were interviewed to gather interesting facts about the industry and what it is like to be an apprentice. On Monday 18th July 2022, the group visited a class of 24 hospitality students at St James College, in Brisbane. The students were asked why they would and wouldn’t consider baking as a career. The discussion that followed assisted BIWG to understand some of the factors that hinder or encourage a school leaver’s decision to take on the baking career path.
The students were also shown a flyer about the baking career path and asked to provide feedback. Generally, the comments where positive and centered around the list of pros of being a baker.
We would like to thank Kylie from Flour and Chocolate, a reputable bakery in Morningside Brisbane and NBIA Member, for taking the time to come along with Emma (second-year apprentice from the bakery). Their presence was muchly appreciated by the students and provided an opportunity for them to ask questions and share inspiring stories.
The NBIA would also like to show our appreciation to the organisers of this school visit, Louise Pope from St James College, Medene Woods – Principal Program Officer, Department of Employment, Small Business and Training, and Sandee Harris – Employer Liaison Officer, Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
This school visit gave us the opportunity to learn a lot about the younger demographic (school leavers) and equipped us with more accurate information to promote the baking career path to them. More research has been planned for the near future, to gain insight into the unemployed demographic. If you are interested in participating in the promotion of the career path or would like to introduce your students to the career path, please complete this form.