PAU empowers students for entrepreneurship in bakery and confectionery

Ludhiana, May 22, 2023: The adage, ‘Practice makes a (wo)man perfect’, holds true even in a college setting, particularly through Experiential Learning. This was stated by Dr Kiranjot Sidhu, Dean, College of Community Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana while emphasizing the importance of an engaged learning process where students can learn by doing.

Elaborating on the details of the Experiential Learning Programme (ELP) in the College, Dr Sidhu revealed that it aims at nurturing students’ professional skills and knowledge through hands-on experience, confidence-building and acquiring enterprise management capabilities. The Department of Food and Nutrition of the College offers this student-ready programme in the final semester of the undergraduate degree to enhance their employability and entrepreneurial mindset enabling them to become job providers rather than job-seekers, she added.

It may be noted that the Experiential Learning Unit in Bakery and Confectionery, established in 2011, enrolls final-year UG students of Nutrition and Dietetics and Community Science every year where they learn to prepare nutritious and delicious bakery items and snack foods for sale. In a motivating gesture, the students receive 60 percent of the earned profit.

Dr. Kiran Grover, Head of the Department of Food and Nutrition, highlighted the program’s goal to equip students with bakery and confectionery skills, comprising planning, organizing, and managing a bakery unit for entrepreneurial success. Students engage in tasks such as standardizing products, evaluating costs, and sourcing high-quality as well as cost-effective raw materials in bulk to meet consumer demand. She clarified that these initiatives effectively cultivate an 'Earning while learning' attitude among students, fostering their potential as future entrepreneurs.

In consonance with the International Year of Millets being celebrated in 2023, Dr. Grover explained how ELP promotes millet consumption. The students prepare a variety of fresh millet-based bakery items and health foods free from harmful colors, preservatives, and additives. The offerings include a range of delectable treats such as Jowar cake, Ragi cake, Dates and Walnut cake, muffins, Caramel cake, Garlic bread, Italian bread, Multigrain cookies, Jowar muffins, White Sauce pasta, Ragi vegetable idli, Paneer-Vegetable Grilled sandwich, Watermelon punch, and Mint lemonade, she disclosed.

The students' creations from the Experiential Learning Unit find their way to the market through various avenues such as Kisan Melas, Food Industry and Craft Mela, exhibitions, and academic gatherings, both on and off-campus. Additionally, the products are available on order. Leveraging digital technology, the students effectively market their offerings and cater to a diverse clientele, meeting the demands of a wide range of customers.