Alliance for Bakery Students and Trainees Representative

As I write this article, final preparations for the annual conference of the Alliance for Bakery Students and Trainees (ABST) are being made. The conference is being held at Alton Towers from the 10-12 June and to date 300 delegates will be attending the event an increase of 60 on last year’s numbers.

So what can be expected during the weekend? Well, for the 230 students and trainees attending they can expect to meet peers from colleges and training establishments across the UK and the Irish Republic, as well as representatives of the baking industry. Through the competitions held during the event, they will showcase their skills to potential employers and will be able to learn new skills through the numerous demonstrations and advice freely given by the team of experts who judge the competition classes both domestic and international industry representatives from the Russian Guild of Bakers and Confectioners and Italy’s Club Arte e Mestieri.

Industry representatives can expect to meet enthusiastic and passionate learners. By viewing the competition entries, they can see at first-hand the craftsmanship that will be making its way into the workplace as these students and trainees join the wider industry; they also have an opportunity to place their respective organisations at the forefront of the minds of future buyers or bakery managers. In ABST they can expect to see an organisation that focuses on the future educational and training requirements of the industry and, finally, they can expect to see that the money they graciously donate to sponsor the event is gratefully received and put to good use.