Greta decided to take the apprenticeship because she was fascinated by the creative side of baking. “I not only love eating baking goods, but also baking them myself – it tastes even better,” she explains. Simon, on the other hand, was enthusiastic about the craftsmanship right from the start. “It’s a great feeling to hold the end product in your hands and be satisfied, whether it’s bread, rolls or cake,” he says. For Greta, one of the special moments of her training was the intensive preparation for the apprentice competition. “You have to train a lot, get faster and try to do the best you can in the time given. In a competition, you realise that everyone is under pressure and you learn to deal with it,” she says. Simon found presenting his own work at trade fairs and events particularly exciting. “It was nice to show our own creations to the public at the 5th Austrian Baker Days here in Asten,” he reports.

Do you want to teach the craft

Apprentice supervisor Kevin Pusam describes the training at backaldrin as unique: “Our apprentices are not classic workers. We focus on teaching them the craft and giving them time to improve and realise their own projects.” The apprentices go through various stations in the company – from training to confectionery to quality assurance. This not only strengthens the sense of community, but also comprehensively prepares the young talents for professional life.

From apprenticeship to career

After completing their training, many doors are open to apprentices at backaldrin. “We have a lot of long-standing employees who have learned at backaldrin and now hold important positions,” explains Kevin Pusam. With good work, commitment and discipline, graduates have the opportunity to develop further and advance their careers. After her training, Greta will start in the export bakery, where she will also use her Hungarian language skills. Simon will first complete his community service and then return to the company. The training at backaldrin not only teaches practical skills, but also valuable experience that prepares apprentices for a successful future. Greta and Simon are the best examples of this – motivated, empowered, and ready for the next steps.

Practice makes perfect

During their training, the two improved their skills significantly. Greta emphasises how important teamwork became for her: “At first you think you’re alone, but your colleagues always support you. That helped me to strengthen my ability to work in a team.” Simon noticed how his craftsmanship and feeling for the work grew: “By constantly practising, you gain confidence and learn what you are doing. This is particularly important in confectionery.”  Working with colleagues also added to the positive experience. “Over time, the collaboration gets better and better because you understand how to best use your strengths,” says Simon, who currently works in quality control. For Greta, it all started with getting to know each other and working on the various stations during her apprenticeship.