School’s baking programme gives students with disabilities a chance at jobs

From the master: Diaz holding up a cake as his special needs students clap. Photos: TNS

Donning chef jackets, toques and unrelenting smiles, the special needs young adults gather in an industrial kitchen and begin the journey from recipe to baked treat. Under the tutelage of a gentle, third-generation baker, they mix batter, roll dough, brush frosting, and slide all that goodness into the oven hour after hour.

On paper, this is a vocational programme that trains adults with disabilities on how to bake pastries. But it is so much more: lessons and learning for a group that has not always seen success. About a year from now, with concepts memorised and critical life skills mastered, the students will be ready for a workplace that values their proficiency but also appreciates their differences.