Première Moisson and ITHQ to create training program, ‘Becoming a Baker in Quebec’

Montreal – Première Moisson and the hospitality consulting centre of the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) together will create a specialized program to train the next generation of artisanal bakers in Quebec.

The program, “Becoming a Baker in Quebec,” is meant to alleviate the labour shortage and ensure the continuity of the artisan baker profession in Quebec, a trade that requires advanced technical skills, Première Moisson said in a news release.

The new training will be called “Becoming a Baker in Quebec.” Registration for the program will begin Aug. 1 and be open until Oct. 15, 2023. The first group of 17 people will begin classes in March 2024.

The training program will involve 994 hours over eight months and will cover the fundamentals of the baker’s trade, including fermentation, kneading, shaping and baking.

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Tablée des Chefs and Cook up your Future

As part of its continuing involvement with La Tablée des Chefs, Première Moisson will provide a few young people from the DYP (Director of Youth Protection) free access to the baking program. These participants will be selected from La Tablée’s Cook up your Future culinary training program, designed for young people in youth centres.

Length of program

The training program will involve 994 hours over eight months and will cover the fundamentals of the baker’s trade, including fermentation, kneading, shaping and baking. Around 100 of these hours will be held at the ITHQ facilities for the Viennese pastry component, and another 850 hours will take place at Première Moisson facilities. Participants will be paid during the training, and registration fees may be refunded upon completion, under certain conditions.

Who is this training for?

The training is for anyone wanting to be a baker or to embark on a new career path. It is not necessary to have food-service or bakery experience to register.

Première Moisson hopes the program encourages students to advance their career and potentially get a Première Moisson franchise.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible, applicants must have mastery of spoken and written French, be aged 16 or over and successfully complete a pre-admission interview.

“For many years, the baking industry has been facing a labour shortage province-wide,” said Éric Côté, vice-president and chief executive officer. “To help fill the needs, keep the profession alive and further develop artisanal baking in Quebec, we have established the province’s most exhaustive theoretical and practical training program specialized in baking, in partnership with the prestigious ITHQ, which is known for its outstanding teaching programs and for the high-quality consulting services offered by its hospitality consulting centre.”

“We are happy to join forces with Première Moisson, a Quebecois company that has made its mark through innovation and the quality of its products,” said Paul Caccia, senior director of communications and business development at the ITHQ. “The ITHQ’s hospitality consulting centre, in partnership with Première Moisson, has developed a rigorous specialized training program whose graduates will receive a diploma from the ITHQ. It will provide participants with all the know-how needed to become excellent bakers.”

For more information contact devenirboulanger@pmoisson.com

For over 50 years, the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) has specialized in training in tourism, hospitality, cuisine and sommellerie. It offers programs at all three levels of teaching: vocational, technical and university. The school also offers professional development, consulting services for businesses and institutions, and public workshops.

Founded in 1992, Première Moisson manufactures and sells bakery, pastry and charcuterie products made using an artisanal approach and healthy ingredients. The baking franchise employs more than 1,200 people and has 24 bakeries in Quebec and one store in Ottawa. Metro’s recent acquisition of the company has allowed Première Moisson to expand its reach in Quebec and Ontario.