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Certificate III · national qualification

Certificate III in Baking

This qualification trains you to work as a baker in a commercial bakery, producing bread, cakes, pastry and biscuits to a consistent standard.

Compare 14 providers
Illustration of a person working as baker
How long it takes
2 to 3 years
full time at TAFE NSW
What it costs
From $16,100
Full fee at TAFE Queensland
How you can study
On campus
Main job
Baker
$73,700 median pay, In demand
Taught by
14 providers
Every state and territory

Is this course right for you?

What the Certificate III in Baking asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • an interest in baking and food production
  • a careful approach to food safety and hygiene
  • good hand skills for shaping dough and pastry
  • the ability to follow recipes and schedules

Before you start

There are no entry requirements for this qualification.

Certificate III or Certificate IV?

The Certificate IV in Baking is the higher level. This Certificate III describes the skills and knowledge of a baker who bakes bread, cake, pastry and biscuit products in a commercial baking environment.

See the course

Where this course can take you

Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.

Jobs you can do with it

  • Baker

    Bakers mix, shape and bake bread, cakes and pastries to a daily production schedule, keeping the shelves full and the standard consistent from batch to batch.

    What else you need

    Complete the baking trade training and required workplace or apprenticeship arrangements; comply with food-safety and workplace requirements. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.

    Median pay$73,700

    In demand

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list.

What it costs

Paying the full fee

$16,100 to $27,300

across the TAFEs listed below. Private providers set their own fees.

  • GOTAFEVIC

    Full fee
    $27,300

  • TAFE QueenslandQLD

    Full fee
    $16,100

Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, read 20 September 2026. Private providers set their own fees.

Where you can study this course

There are 14 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

What you’ll learn

19 units: 15 that everyone takes and 4 you choose.

  • Food safety and hygiene
  • Bread making
  • Pastry production
  • Cakes and sponges
  • Biscuits and cookies
  • Production scheduling
See all 15 core units

Core units

Everyone completes these. Select a unit to see what it covers.

  • Loading the details for FBPFSY2002…

Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

  1. When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
  2. What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
  3. Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
  4. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Questions people ask

Who is this qualification for?

It prepares you to work as a baker in a commercial bakery, producing bread, cakes, pastry and biscuits to a consistent standard. You learn food safety, workplace health and safety, and how to schedule production so a day's baking comes out on time. It leads to roles like baker, bakery assistant, cake decorator or pastry chef.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

There are no entry requirements for this qualification. Each provider can set its own conditions, so check with the one you choose.

How is it different from Certificate IV in Baking?

The Certificate IV in Baking is the higher level. This Certificate III describes the skills and knowledge of a baker who bakes bread, cake, pastry and biscuit products in a commercial baking environment.

Related courses

The national training register, training.gov.au. TAFE course pages, read 20 September 2026. Google reviews. Pay and shortage status from Jobs and Skills Australia.