AIB International School of Baking
At this moment, AIB is not taking informaton requests from this web site so I would highly recommend you check out some of the other fine Baking and Pastry Programs available throughout the US.
What You Need to Know
The AIB International School of Baking is one of the most recognizable names in food industry education. Not only does the school concentrate on developing baking skills for working in restaurant kitchens or commercial bakeries, but it also looks at the technical side of the food service industry, offering coursework in kitchen maintenance engineering. Based in the agricultural center of Kansas, the setting is ideal for those looking to work with the latest innovations in food production.
AIB International School of Baking
1213 Bakers Way
Manhattan, Kansas 66505
About AIB International School of Baking
As an educational institution, AIB International is all about protecting the art and science of food production. This scientific background has been 
an important part of AIB since it first opened its doors in 1919. The school arose out of the need for baking recipes that tasted good and were cheap to make in the face of a WWI flour shortage. The thought behind the school was that by investing in developing food technologies, the food service and manufacturing industries could avoid shortages in the future. To this end, all training was focused on the practical side of baking, rather than the art of it.
AIB International has done a good job of maintaining these original goals while keeping up with the times. It now offers programs and training certifications to students and industry workers in a variety of formats to meet the legal, professional, and educational goals of all who attend.
Programs Offered
In the field of baking, students can choose between the Baking Technologist resident course and the Maintenance Technician resident course. Although the school also offers a number of online and on-site continuing education courses, these two make up the bulk of the School of Baking student base. Additional courses also focus on audit services, food safety, and research and technical services.
The Baking Technologist resident course (also known as Baking Science and Technology) is one of the flagship AIB programs. It is designed for those currently operating in the baking profession, allowing them to further their skills to attain higher positions in the industry and among baking research organizations. The course lasts for a total of sixteen weeks, classes occurring on a full-time five days a week schedule. The classes are divided into two sections: four hours of classroom curriculum followed by four hours of hands-on baking laboratory work. Most of the education in this course focuses on the theories behind baking and baking science. Students are taught to apply these theories to improve methods of production on an industrial and/or commercial scale.
The Maintenance Engineering resident course lasts for a total of 11 weeks, with the same, intense 40-hour week schedule. It focuses almost solely on the mechanics of baking equipment, with courses on everything from parallel circuits and electrical safety to low pressure boilers and food safety, with a few additional management and general business classes included for a more well-rounded education.
Faculty
The faculty members at AIB are interested in more than just baking. They are leaders in the fields of food science, meaning that they know all about the new techniques in food safety, nutrition, kitchen engineering, and occupational hygiene.
Facility
The school's facilities are among the most cutting-edge in the entire industry. Because the focus of all training is on learning the science and technology of baking, all equipment is modern, up-to-date, and comparable to what graduates can expect to find in research facilities and industrial kitchens all over the world.
Accreditation
College credit may be available through the Kansas State University Department of Grain Science, the school through which all AIB courses are certified and accredited. Upper Iowa University and Barton County Community College may also offer credit for classes taken. Further accreditation is accomplished through the North Central Association of Schools and the International Association for Continuing Education and Training.
Financial Aid
The school is very open about tuition and costs, and more detailed information can be found on their website. Basic tuition for the four-month Baking Technologist course runs around $10,500 dollars, and the Maintenance Engineering comes in at $8,100, although there are additional laboratory and equipment fees. Scholarships and student loans to cover these fees are available to select students. Those who attend the AIB School of Baking through an employer typically do not qualify, as most of the funds are reserved for students paying their own way through the educational courses.
Going to School in Manhattan, Kansas
Although a far cry from New York, the City of Manhattan in Kansas is a fairly large college town with a great atmosphere. Listed by CNN as one of the top ten places to retire young, the bulk of the population is somehow affiliated with the city's focal point, Kansas State University. Students at the on-site courses through AIB International have access to some of the greatest agricultural centers in the world as well as a fairly youthful demographic.
What Do You Need To Know to Get Into Culinary School?
As the Reluctant Gourmet, I have never been to cooking school, but I keep telling myself it's never too late. The best way for you to learn more about becoming a chef is to visit my new Culinary School Resource Center. Here you will find articles, books, school resources and many other useful resources.
Also, try reading as much as you can about going to cooking school and what it is like to be a professional chef. One book I highly recommend to anyone thinking about culinary school is, The Making of A Chef, by Michael Ruhlman. It will really help you understand what you may be getting yourself into. For a complete list of Books For Cooks.
AIB International School of Baking
