KEY POINTS:
The Qualification
What: MIT Certificate in Baking (Level 3)(includes level two national certificate in food production baking)
Where: Manukau Institute of Technology
Phone: 0800 62 62 52 or 09 968 8000
Email: info@manukau.ac.nz
Web: www.manukau.ac.nz
2007 course costs: $4970 including materials, ingredients, workbooks, uniform and knife set.
Starting hourly rate: $12 to $14.
Biting into a tasty, beautifully presented slice of cake is always a treat; one made possible by courses such as the Certificate in Baking at Manukau Institute of Technology.
The one-year course introduces students to a variety of baking methods for biscuits, small goods, pastry products, yeast goods, confectionery and cakes. Commercial and catering production processes are also covered, along with cake decorating and presentation skills.
The course begins more theoretically, but practice increases throughout the year because mastery of the different skills requires a lot of repetition.
There are two intakes each year, in February and July, with up to 20 students accepted into each intake. All students are interviewed.
Applicants need to have passed at least four NCEA Level 1 subjects, including English, or an introductory level two cooking programme. Alternatively, people are accepted on their food industry employment experience.
Applicants with English as their second language need IELTS 5.5 (academic) or 5.5 in MIT's English language proficiency test.
Work experience is not compulsory within the course, but it is strongly recommended that students work at least one day a week to get commercial practice and networks. Each year a few students go into formal apprenticeships or higher level courses, but the majority enter the workforce as junior bakers or pastry chefs.
THE GRADUATE
Jayshree Somnath
40 years
Eves Pantry Cake Decorator
Graduated November 2005
I started at Eves Pantry while I was still at MIT. I did three days' study and worked four days in Eves Pantry's cake production department making cakes such as gateaus, trifles and slices. Because I was also working, I could practise things I was learning at MIT and also discuss in class the things I did at work. With the final exam, we had to mask and cover a cake and that was easy for me because I did it regularly at work.
After I finished my course I was transferred to the special cake decorating section. I liked cake decorating best at MIT so was hoping to end up here. Over a week, we would decorate 80 to 100 cakes. We make decorations, including roses and other flowers. Winnie the Pooh is popular for children's cakes - I know those characters well, now.
People usually order cakes off our lists, but we like the special orders best because they're more creative and challenging.
We start at 5am but finish at 2pm or 2.30pm which suits me well because I have two children. I was a chemistry lecturer in India but couldn't get a teaching job here. I grew tired of relieving so I took a job at Dunkin' Donuts, where we made the dough and cooked the donuts. I decided to enhance these cooking skills by doing a course. Once I started, I realised baking was very creative.
Once I had finished the course I got a pay rise of $1 an hour. I got another rise when I was promoted to the special cake section.
THE EMPLOYER
Kurt Enderle
Eves Pantry Production Manager
If I need new staff I will often ring MIT and ask them to suggest a student. Jayshree started with us on a part-time basis because she was still there. She was quite talented so we offered her full-time work after her course.
Cake makers and decorators need a love of food and artistic talent, especially with decorating cakes.
There is a definite skill in making roses, marzipan figures and writing for baking. It is like drawing with icing.
Doing the course shows commitment. You turn up every day and learn the basics about a range of skills. I think the course is good for older people who might not want to spend time doing an apprenticeship. It covers a lot in one year.
I think young people are better off getting an apprenticeship where they learn as they go.
Jayshree wanted to learn and was talented. She wanted to do more than make a cake, she wanted to make it look lovely. She has moved up the pay scale quickly because she is talented and learns fast. You won't get far if you think of baking as just a job. The shift hours certainly don't suit everyone.
