Home >> Career Center >> Baker >> Baking Career Boards, Associations and Professional Groups
There are many different baking industry associations, career boards and professional groups that provide a number of valuable resources for students and professionals in this field. If you’re going to become a baker, it’s a good idea to learn about all the resources that you have available to you and take advantage of them throughout your career. Here is more information about several of the largest organizations for bakers in the United States.
American Bakers Association
The American Bakers Association was founded in 1897 and remains dedicated to the wholesale baking industry. This professional organization is concerned with large commercial operations and the general best interests of commercial bakers, baking facilities and baking suppliers in the United States. More than 633,000 baking professionals belong to the ABA, and for their annual fees, they get advocacy on their behalf and a wealth of professional resources.
American Institute of Baking
The AIB boasts its commitment to elevating the public perception of the baking industry by developing and maintaining high safety standards for all purveyors of grain-based food. The institute upholds this commitment through audits, certifications, education, food safety inspections, research, technical services and more. This organization is known particularly for its education programs for newcomers to the baking industry across North America.
The American Culinary Federation
The ACF is the premier professional group for chefs of all varieties, including pastry chefs and other dessert cooks. The American Culinary Federation, Inc. was founded by members of the Chefs de Cuisine Association of America, the Société Culinaire Philanthropique, and Le Vatel Club, in New York City in 1929. Since then, the federation has been committed to elevating the public image of the culinary arts in the United States, including baking and dessert making.
The American Pie Council
Unlike other baking associations, the APC is dedicated specifically to pies, and it is not limited to professionals. The American Pie Council offers amateur, professional and commercial memberships. The council boasts its commitment to preserving the nation’s great heritage of and love affair with pie making, offering a wealth of resources including coupons, idea exchanges, networking opportunities, recipe swaps and a variety of industry-related programs.
The Retail Bakers of America
The RBA is an organization dedicated to elevating the public perception of the art of baking in the United States. Of all the baking associations in the United States, this one prides itself most on its commitment to community. The association’s website offers access to an online career network for bakers, including educational opportunities, knowledge resources, the latest best practices information, industry news and more. The association is particularly focused on bettering the market for individual bakeries. The RBA also offers several levels of professional baking certification and cake-decorating certification, which provide a helpful advantage for bakers and decorators on the job market.
