Baking & Pastry Arts programs prepare students for quick entry into the industry in a variety of positions: baking/pastry assistant, area pastry chef and assistant pastry chef, among others. With experience, graduates can advance from entry-level positions to pastry chef, cake designer or bakery manager.
Employment opportunities include restaurants, hotels, independent bakeries and pastry shops, wholesale and retail markets and high-volume bakeries. The programs also provide students with the skills and knowledge to start their own businesses.
Daytime and evening classes are available to accommodate busy schedules, and courses are held in eight-week "mini-mesters." Certificate and diploma options also are available and can be completed in less time.
Information sessions start at 6 p.m. at Scott Northern Wake Campus, Building K, Room 155, and last about an hour.
For more information or advising for classes, contact Chef Caralyn House at [email protected] or 919-532-5969.
Wake Tech's Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts programs are accredited by the American Culinary Federation (ACF). Graduates of ACF-accredited post-secondary degree or certificate/diploma programs are eligible to receive a Certified Culinarian® or Certified Pastry Cook certification without paying any fees or taking any separate exams. Graduates must provide a final transcript verifying graduation and documentation of ACF membership. Certificate/diploma graduates must also document one year of entry-level work experience to receive certification. Application and documentation must be submitted within one year of graduation.
As a student in Baking & Pastry Arts, you have the option of becoming a junior member of the North Carolina chapter of ACF, the largest professional association of chefs in the nation. As a paid junior member, you automatically receive certification upon graduation. Regardless of your membership status, however, you are welcome to attend monthly meetings. Check the chapter website for more information. For questions about the ACF or Triangle Chefs Association, contact Department Head Jeff Hadley at 919-866-5990 or [email protected].