As part of National Skills Week, NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan visited The Bread and Butter Project (TBBP) in Marrickville to see how refugee women are building sustainable careers in baking through Australia’s first social enterprise bakery.

TBBP provides hands-on training, formal qualifications, English language support and real-world employment pathways for refugee women. With $670,655 in funding from the NSW Government’s Social Impact Outcomes Fund Tender 1, the program is supporting 35 participants between 2023 and 2027.

During the visit, Minister Whan toured the Marrickville bakery where participants learn artisan baking skills. The women undertake intensive workplace-based training, often progressing to a Certificate II in Baking delivered by TAFE NSW or other registered training organisations.

Alongside technical skills, TBBP offers wrap-around support including English language tutoring tailored to the baking industry. Retired teachers and volunteers help participants improve literacy, numeracy and conversational English, ensuring they can read recipes, measure ingredients, and thrive in both training and employment settings.

TBBP works closely with industry partners including Woolworths Bakery, Bakers Delight, Harris Farm Markets, Two Good Catering, Bob & Pete’s, Brooklyn Boy Bagels and airline caterer dnata.

These partnerships create a pipeline of job opportunities for graduates, while also supplying everyday shoppers with TBBP bread and pastries available in selected Woolworths and Harris Farm outlets.

Established in 2013 by Sydney chef and baker Paul Allam and his wife Jessica Grynberg, TBBP was inspired by their work with refugee women on the Thai-Burmese border. Today, 100 per cent of profits from TBBP are reinvested into training and employment pathways, with 90 per cent of costs covered by bread and pastry sales and the rest supported by donations, volunteers and government funding.

Minister Whan said the project was an outstanding example of how vocational training can transform lives.

“The Bread and Butter Project is giving refugee women the skills, confidence and connections they need to succeed in Australia’s workforce. It’s a powerful model of education and employment working hand-in-hand, and a reminder of the role training plays in strengthening communities,” he said.