Bakery and Confectionery

A baker-confectioner is able to plan and prepare delicious, attractive and impressive bakery and confectionery products in a customer-oriented way. A holder of the qualification in food production, the competence area baker-confectioner works for example in small or middle-sized bakeries and confectioneries, industrial bakeries, store bakeries, bake-off units, café-confectioneries, personal restaurants as well as in catering enterprises. S/he is able to prepare different bread and pastries, confectionary products, bakery convenience food products and special works of the field both in handicraft and industrial production.

Many diverse hand skills, adapting ability, own initiative, ability to work under pressure as well as cooperation and communication skills are required in a baker-confectioner work.

The preparation of different confectionery products and special confectionery works are emphasised in the skill category. The tasks are planned in close and precious cooperation with working life. The tasks are based on the requirements of working life and working culture of field. As regards the product preparation, the following aspects are considered in evaluation: hygiene matters, compliance with sustainable operating and self-monitoring practices and working in an entrepreneurial way.

The competition tasks consist of tasks given at the competition site. The competition tasks can be utilised as vocational skills demonstrations. A competitor can in his / her own education institution apply for the recognition of skills, on the basis of the competition certificate.

The competition is individual. 

A competitor is able to prepare working life-based and different impressive bakery and confectionery products in many ways. S/he is able to handle ingredients carefully and economically. S/he manages planning his/her own work, interpreting and adapting the instructions, making calculations, regarding ingredients and work, as well as is able to present and assess his/her own working. S/he understands the impact of his/her work on product quality and enterprise operation. A competitor is able to observe traditions, current trends and internationality in product planning and preparing.

A successful competitor is able to:

• work in compliance with hygiene, self-monitoring, work safety and quality requirements as well as follows legislation on the food production sector
• plan and organise his/her own work and make changes to the plan, adjust and solve problem situations
• manage and handle product ingredients at different preparation stages; preliminary work, ingredients handling, product preparing and storing and finishing the own working phase
• flexibly use tools, machines and devices which are needed in work
• manage hand skills when preparing bakery and confectionery products and special works
• assess the quality of the ingredients and products
• consider saleability of the products in preparing
• pack products for storing, transporting and selling
• use environmental-friendly methods
• take care of maintaining his/her work ability
• work together with others
• work in a customer-oriented, profitable and productive manner, complying with product quality requirements, safety and aesthetic aspects 
• make reports, written messages and calculations, using information technology.

• Arja Korhonen-Masalin, Turku Vocational Institute
• Kristiina Lehto, Turku Vocational Institute
• Oskari Takkinen, Petris Chocolate
• Mikko Hietala, MBakery
• Hanne Rissanen, Savo Vocational College
• Eero Hyvärinen, Länsirannikon Koulutus Oy WinNova
• Hannele Laaksonen, Leipomo Juuri
• Outi Suopanki, Saimaa Vocational College Sampo
• Anne Lindqvist, Keuda
• Jussi Aitohelmi, Keuda
• Tarja Hoikka, SASKY Municipal Education and Training Consortium
• Tiina Mäkinen, Mauste-Sallinen
• Satu Nygård, Finnish National Agency for Education