Cooks, butchers and bakers

How to become a Baker

Official title: Bakers

Also called: Head baker, Bagel baker, Bread baker, Donut baker, Hotel baker, Junior baker, Muffin baker, Biscuit baker, Baker - retail, Hospital baker, Baker apprentice, Cake baker - retail

Bakers prepare bread, rolls, muffins, pies, pastries, cakes and cookies in retail and wholesale bakeries and dining establishments. They are employed in bakeries, supermarkets, catering companies, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, and other institutions, or they may be self-employed. Bakers who are supervisors are included in this unit group. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.

Main tasks

Prepare dough for pies, bread, rolls and sweet goods, batters for muffins, cookies and cakes and icings and frostings according to recipes or special customer orders
Bake mixed doughs and batters
Frost and decorate cakes or other baked goods
Ensure quality of products meets established standards
Draw up production schedule to determine type and quantity of goods to produce
Purchase baking supplies
May oversee sales and merchandising of baked goods
May hire, train and supervise baking personnel and kitchen staff

How to become one

Completion of secondary school is usually required. Completion of a three- or four-year apprenticeship program for bakers or completion of a college or other program for bakers or several years of commercial baking experience is usually required. On-the-job training may be provided. Trade certification is available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified bakers upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

See the full NOC 2021 profile

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Red Seal trade. Completion of a three- or four-year apprenticeship program for bakers or completion of a college or other program for bakers or several years of commercial baking experience is usually required. Red Seal endorsement is available. Apprenticeships are run by each province and territory.

Pay · Outlook

Median pay: $34,125 a year The middle half earn $31,200 to $39,488.
About 32,500 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 33,200 are projected by 2033. (+2.2%)
Projected labour market to 2033: balance.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Baker?

How much does a Baker earn in Canada?

Median full-time pay is $34,125 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $31,200 to $39,488.

Is a Baker a growing career in Canada?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 2% by 2033, from about 32,500 to about 33,200 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).

Do you need a degree to become a Baker?

Usually not. Only 13% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Red Seal trade.

Sources

Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03