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Baker: Flexibility and night shift for new trainees in Heilbronn!
Find out how bakeries in Heilbronn work on the Pentecost weekend, challenges in recruiting trainees and adapting to new trends.
Baker: Flexibility and night shift for new trainees in Heilbronn!
There is a trend in the Heilbronn-Franconia region that more and more bakeries are open during public holidays and weekends. During Pentecost many businesses are open while others remain closed. This shows the increasing flexibility that bakeries require in order to compete for trainees. This is also confirmed by [SWR](https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/baden-wuerttemberg/heilbronn/baecker-broetchen-sonntag- Feiertag-nachtarbeit-arbeit-100.html), where the Förch bakery from Erlenbach in the Heilbronn district has implemented two-shift operation.
Felix Gosch, managing director of the Förch bakery, emphasizes that working on weekends and public holidays is part of being a baker. Despite the smaller staff on Sunday and the fact that most employees have that day off, the production of pretzels and rolls takes place fresh every day. The matinale begins at 7 a.m., which is particularly attractive for younger career starters. The night shift offers employees additional benefits, such as more free time during the day and a night allowance.
The challenge of young talent
Despite an 11% increase in bakery trainees in 2024, finding new trainees remains a challenge. For bakery salespeople, the companies even recorded a 22% increase in training numbers. However, Felix Gosch reports that he has not yet noticed any of these increasing numbers. He still sees the bakery trade as valuable because you can see directly what you have created.
The general situation on the bakery labor market is complex. The baker's job includes the production of bread, rolls and other baked goods with ingredients such as flour, milk and yeast (career jump). Working hours are traditional, with many bakers starting as early as 2 or 3 a.m. and often working until 10 a.m. Weekend work is not uncommon.
Perspectives and challenges
The training period lasts three years and the majority of trainees have a secondary school diploma. Even applicants without a school leaving certificate have a chance of receiving training. Bakers should not only be creative, but also master techniques such as operating automatic kneading machines. Current trends in the industry indicate a growing desire for high-fiber, organic and whole grain products.
Despite some positive developments, the industry is facing a decline: between 2012 and 2019, the number of bakeries fell from 13,600 to 10,500. The number of employees also fell from 290,000 to 266,000. Although the bakery trade offers solid prospects, it is not a booming industry. An average salary for a baker is around 2,350 euros gross per month, with a starting salary of around 1,700 to 2,000 euros.
Overall, it shows that the bakery trade offers both challenges and opportunities. In particular, the search for young talent and the adaptation to new market conditions will be crucial for the future of this industry.