Speakers inspire students to earn a crust in bakery industry

Industry leaders from the likes of Callebaut Chocolate, Dupont Danisco and Lesaffre are set to visit University College Birmingham in a programme of unmissable masterclasses to inspire final-year Bakery and Patisserie technology students to think about future careers in the bakery industry.

Held every Friday, the classes will cover a number of topics relating to the scientific and technical elements of UCB’s Bakery and Patisserie Technology FdSc and BSc, and beyond.

Guest speakers will give their own, business-focused perspective on highly technical topics including anything from the spectrophotometry of cocoa to ammonium raising agents for biscuits, as well as an insight into life at various respected companies dealing in bakery and patisserie on a large scale.

Classes have already featured an in-depth practical session by Andy Flounders and Paul Turner, Senior Bakery Application Specialist and Senior Bakery Sales Manager at DuPont Danisco, about the functions of different enzymes in large-scale bread manufacture.

Not only did students have the opportunity to grill Paul and Andy about life as major ingredient specialists, they also got stuck into a practical session testing enzymes in different bread batches.

“We are really pleased to have these industry figures come and talk to our final year students,” said Bakery Lecturer Richard Wood.

“By speaking to students in their final year, we are hoping to inspire them to think about their future and signpost a number of potential career paths and goals to reach for.”