Ashley O'Rourke - NC Bakery

As part of our John Mather Trust Awards coverage, we're speaking to some of this year's recipients to find out what they're up to now, and how they enjoyed their time at Ayrshire College.

The John Mather Trust rewards our graduates who have: learned a trade and gone into employment, an apprenticeship or set up their own business within the past year. Those fortunate enough to be eligible for a John Mather award received a set of tools of the trade to help them in their careers.

Ashley O'Rourke came to college to get the skills she needed to help build her cake baking business. The NC Bakery course provided a strong foundation and 'Mrs Occasions' is now in it's second year and continues to grow. Here she tells us more...

"Before coming to college, I worked in retail management for many years. I wanted to improve my baking skills to help me build my business. I wanted to make sure my products were the best they could be, and if I picked up any other skills, that would be a bonus.

I was an older student and had been out of education for many years. I didn’t really know what to expect or if I’d be able to build a rapport with other students. I was concerned about using technology that I wasn’t familiar with, especially while learning remotely during COVID. Plus, I wasn’t sure how I would manage my workload in terms of starting my business and studying at the same time.

The staff were great, and I was pleasantly surprised at the level of support available to students. There was help available with technology, with mental health, with finances and lots more. It was great to be surrounded by people with the same interests, many of whom I’m still in contact with now.

The course involved practical work in the kitchen, as well as core skills and theory. I most enjoyed the practical elements - every time we were in the kitchen was amazing. Many of the products we made were new to me and I learned so many new skills. Lecturer, Paul Holdsworth, is amazing at what he does, he taught me so much.

The theory gave me an insight into the science behind baking, which helps me to establish what’s gone wrong when something I make doesn’t quite go to plan. I’ve developed my interpersonal skills and improved my confidence when interacting with customers. I’ve upskilled in ICT and now have knowledge of a variety of applications, like Zoom, Teams, OneFile etc, which I hadn’t used before.

I had a great experience at college - it’s obvious that providing students with the tools for success is at the heart of everything they do. The course has given me a strong foundation and I continue to grow in all areas of my job. 

My cake business is now in it's second year. I mainly make birthday cakes, but I have recently started to move into the wedding industry. I plan to expand the business, to move it out of my own kitchen and increase my profile as a wedding cake maker in Ayrshire and beyond."

If you would like to take your baking skills to the next level or, like Ashley, start your own business...check out our NC Bakery course.