Fifteen young people are celebrating the news that they have successfully graduated from the Junior Bakers Academy run by the University College Birmingham.

The course takes place over three months and allows 14 to 16 year olds to learn practical skills, helping to educate them in the art of baking, which provides them with a variety of career options within the bakery trade.

The successful course has been supported by family bakers, Warburtons, for over four years and is starting to reveal some talented young bakers such as Christopher Fine, aged 16, who walked away with this year’s Academy Star Award.

Dawn Gemmell, head of the College Bakery, said: “All our students have achieved so much during their time on the course and will hopefully be considering a future in food manufacture as a result. Without the support from Warburtons over the last four years it would not have been possible to offer these young adults this great opportunity.”

Bill Rea, Warburtons business development manager, said: “It is an absolute pleasure to be involved with such a worthwhile course. The art of baking requires great skill and we feel it’s important for these qualities to be developed at an early age.

“I always enjoy hearing about the progress of these future bakers.”