ANZSCO 3511-11Western Australia

BakerDecember 2017

Labour Economics Office Western Australia

Department of Jobs and Small Business

Current labour market ratingNo Shortage

Previous labour market rating (October 2016) Shortage*

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* Occupation assessed at the national level, separate rating not available for Western Australia

Comments

No shortages of bakers were evident in Western Australia this year, with surveyed employers attracting an average of almost 2.0 suitable applicants per vacancy and filling a majority of advertised vacancies.

Survey results[1]

  • Surveyed employers seeking bakers filled 86 per cent of their vacancies across Western Australia.
  • Metropolitan employers filled 83 per cent of vacancies, while regional employers filled 100 per cent of vacancies.
  • This occupation was most recently assessed at the national level which indicated shortages of bakers across Australia for nine out of the past 10 years.
  • While shortages have been identified nationally in previous years, this survey indicated no shortage of bakers in Western Australia.
  • This year, employers reported an average of 10.9 applicants and 1.9 suitable applicants per vacancy.
  • Employers in the metropolitan area attracted an average of 12.0 applicants and 1.7 suitable applicants. In regional areas employers attracted an average of 4.5 applicants and identified 3.0 applicants suitable for vacancies.
  • On average, employers attracted 5.8 applicants with a baking qualification.[2]

Employer requirements

  • A range of employers were surveyed, including independent and franchise retail bakeries and wholesale bakeries.
  • Employers required bakers with appropriately developed skills in bread baking, including molding and mixing from scratch. Additionally, several employers sought specialist experience in sourdoughs, European breads and wholesale baking.
  • Some employers sought bakers with pastrycook experience, noting that this would not be their dominant responsibility.
  • Most roles were full-time and required the successful applicant to be available for weekend shifts.
  • Employers operating franchise bakeries required applicants to hold a formal baking qualification. However, many employers operating outside this space were open to hiring unqualified applicants with many years of experience in baking.
  • These employers noted that an applicant’s prior experience, enthusiasm for the role and their willingness to learn were of substantially greater importance than a formal qualification.
  • Most employers with unfilled vacancies noted they are covering the staffingshortfall by working overtime themselves or requiring existing employees work additional hours.

Unsuitable applicants

  • The main reason applicants were considered unsuitable was a lack of experience, namely a lack of post apprenticeship experience or limited experience in niche products such as sourdoughs.
  • Additionally, employers deemed applicants to be unsuitable where they failed to present for a work trial or sought remuneration greater than the employer was willing to offer.
  • Employers noted that enthusiasm for the role and good interpersonal skills were essential qualities and deemed applicants who lacked these skills as unsuitable.
  • Around 78 per cent of qualified applicants were deemed unsuitable by employers.

Demand and supply trends

  • Following an upward trend over a two-year period, vacancies forbakers and pastrycooks (separate data are not available) reached a record high in November 2015. Vacancies remained at this level until February 2016, after which they steadily declined by around 40 per cent.[3]
  • Entry into this occupation is generally via an apprenticeship and completion of a Certificate III in Retail Baking.
  • Over the last ten years, commencements have ranged between a high of 156in 2009 and a low of 84in 2015.[4]
  • Between 2010 and 2015, commencements in certificate III training packages for bakers fell by 38 per cent. however, since 2016 commencements have risen by 14 per cent.[5]
  • Course completions over the year to March 2017 fell by 35 per cent.[6]

Labour Economics Office Western Australia

Department of Jobs and Small Business

[1] The methodology underpinning this research is outlined at Skill Shortage Research Methodology | Department of Jobs and Small Business - Document library, Australian Governmentand can also be accessed by the QR code.

[3]Department of Jobs and Small Business, Internet Vacancy Index, 12 month moving average, November 2017

[4] NCVER, Apprentices and Trainees, March 2017, estimates (limited to certificate III and IV). All quoted figures refer to the four quarters ending March each year

[5]Ibid

[6]Ibid