Can you give us more details about your education, where you are training, what your goals in pastry are?

cohphanta wrote:

Where do you live?  This may sound odd, but try getting a job in a grocery store bakery...some still do their own patries.  The store I use to work at (I just quit on sunday) it's a chain here in the southern US....they have apprenticships.

I agree!  A friend of mine actually started out in a grocery store bakery and now owns her own cake business.   

sarahrose wrote:

I am based in the UK and currently work in Pensions.

I do not have any pastry expereince, hence by doing the course at college and hoping to get a part time job learning the trade.

thank you for your comments

Does your college have a job placement/internship program?  Or, maybe you can ask one of your professors what you can do?  Good luck! 

Hi There,
I am currently going through something similar. I am 33 and recently decided to change from a career in administration to pastry. Though I am a keen baker and cook I don't have any professional experience. Overall people have been supportive but I have had two very different experiences in the last few days.

I was recently contacted by a renouned chef for an interview for potential openings in his new restaurant. Although this was speculative rather than for an existing position he didn't feel my age was a problem "still a baby" he said in his french accent. He said as long as I has physicaly fit and really enthusiastic (and willing to take orders from younger people than myself) than he said I should be fine. He has offered me an opportunity to come and do trial shift (!).

My other experience was at a large chain of luxury hotels at a trainee chef assesment day- a sort of group interview. I was probably the oldest of everyone and some of them were quite young indeed. As part of the session the executive head chef came to speak to us. All he talked about was the heaps of money you could make and bragged about his sports car- very macho. At question time I asked if he had ever had anyone more mature come and work succesfully in his kitchen- he said no. He said that there have been times when HR have called him to ask if he would take an apprentice aged 48. He said "No Way, their life is half over! What am I going to do with them" . If it wasn't for the fact he knew he couldn't get away with it, I think he would have told me to leave there and then. If it wasn't for the fact that I had already had the first experience I would have been very discouraged.

Anyway two very different experiences that might be of use.

Hi There,

I'm very new to this whole forum thing! so please be gentle!

I did a fantastic cookery course at the Ashburton Cookery School in Devon. They teach you everything and it's all very professional. You can do day courses, weekend courses or a months course. I would highly recommend it to everyone, they also have places to stay down there, I did a weeks intermediate course which pretty much covered everything but they also specialise in pastry or pasta, or whatever it is you want to do! There website is www.ashburtoncookeryschool.co.uk/

Perhaps we could set up our own bakery! I too want a career change which is why i did the course, i have a certificate but no commercial experience apart from working in the kitchen at 'CRISIS', the charity for the homeless, if anyone needs a hand in the kitchen, then please do get in touch and i can send you any further info.

Good luck!

Kaye.x