Position Overview
Bakery workers have two different facets as far as their work is concerned. That said, they work at both the front end and the back end of a bakery. At the back end, they help bakers by preparing ingredients and packing end products. At the front end, they assist with the sales of bakery items.
To work as a bakery worker, you need to possess excellent insight into baking activities.
You might not be required to obtain more than a high school diploma, but if you have some vocational training, your candidature becomes strong. Working as a bakery worker will require you to be physically dexterous. You will be subjected to the heat of ovens and grills during a major part of your day, and you will have to work while standing on your feet. If your love for baking surpasses these, you can become a successful bakery worker.
If you have already worked in a large scale bakery before, you will have a good idea of the conveyor belt system and cake decoration activities. In most large concerns, bakery workers work at the backend only – in smaller ones, their work may be divided into the two facets mentioned above.
Related: Bakery Worker Resume
Let us separate the two and see what duties lie under each:
Bakery Worker Duties & Responsibilities
Back End Work Duties
• Go through work orders to determine how much of what needs to be produced for the day
• Ensure that sufficient raw materials/ingredients are available for each product to be baked
• Measure appropriate amounts of components needed and pour or mix them together
• Run each mixture by the baker to ensure that it conforms to quality standards
• Place mixtures in ovens or on grills and set timers for cooking or baking
• Assist in decorating cakes and cookies and fill pastries with chocolate and cream fillings
• Smooth icing or fondant on cakes and ensure that they are aesthetically pleasing to look at
• Pack baked items into properly sized boxes or cling film
Front End Work Duties
• Greet customers as they arrive and provide them with information on the day’s specials
• Assist customers in choosing baked items by providing them with information on ingredients and calorie counts
• Pick out selected items from the display units and box them properly
• Ring customers’ purchases on the POS and process credit card and cash payments
• Keep display units clean and stocked with fresh items throughout the day
• Take orders for specialized caked over the telephone and in-person
• Clean and maintain counters and floors and ensure that appropriate sanitizing procedures are followed