Certificate in Professional Baking and Pastry Arts in Nanaimo Canada | Vancouver Island University

Shape your passion with VIU’s Professional Baking and Pastry Arts program for a rewarding, hands-on career that can take you around the world. Learn advanced baking and dessert making, as well as sugar and chocolate artistry techniques.

This internationally recognized program provides students with hands-on, real-world experiences providing baked goods and pastries to the university community, including making cakes to order. Students of VIU’s baking school also learn on the department’s wood-fired brick oven.

Graduates of our pastry art school have found work in bakeries – including opening their own – and a range of high-end restaurants, world-class hotels and resorts. Educational grants are available to students wanting to train in these in-demand industries.
The Culinary Institute of Vancouver Island (CIVI) at VIU provides students with a Certificate in Professional Baking and Pastry Arts, giving them a leading edge for advancement and progression in the baking and pastry profession. This full-time program provides students with knowledge and experience in the science and production of bakery items baked in both commercial ovens and our wood burning brick oven. Emphasis is placed on traditional and artisan baking methods as applied to modern Canadian and international trends. The pastry arts component of the program also provides the fundamental skills needed in pastry training from cake decorating, including wedding and special occasion cakes, to desserts, chocolate and sugar work. Baking and pastry arts students are ready for employment in patisserie shops, hotels, retail and wholesale bakeries, supermarkets, restaurants, caterers, camps and other food–related businesses.

This 12-month program begins at VIU’s Bakery on the Nanaimo campus, starting in late August through to June when students participate in a 10-week (300-hour) paid work experience component.

Learning at VIU’s Bakery: Students alternate between the yeast baking and pastry courses, switching between the courses every few weeks. Both programs operate under conditions similar to an actual bakery, with deadlines, retail and wholesale customers. A typical day consists of one hour of theory, with the remainder being devoted to practical, hands-on training. Time is scheduled for competitions, shows and off campus visits. Guest bakers, chefs and business owners are often scheduled to partake in the students' learning schedules. Our wood fired brick oven is unique to our facility providing students with training in traditional hearth oven baking. Good attendance is mandatory.

The year is divided into several terms, during which time students increase their levels of competency in ten areas: (1) ovens; (2) breads and buns; (3) sweetenedunsweetened yeasted and croissants; (4) quick breads and cookies; (5) cake baking, finishing and decorating; (6) puff pastries and pies; (7) bakery management; (8) chocolate and sugar work; (9) wood-fired oven and gluten free baking; and (10) fancy pastries. Seasonal, festive and ethnic baking are also covered. Students also participate in a 10-week (300 hours) work experience component in industry to complete the program.

Upon successful completion of the program, students receive the Vancouver Island University Certificate in Professional Baking and Pastry Arts as well as credit for their first year Baker Apprentice technical training and 1200 work experience hours to apply towards obtaining their Red Seal.