Justine is the Bakery Manager and owner of the Bakehouse Espresso Group along with her husband Troy.
What is your job title and where are you based?
Justine is the Bakery Manager and owner of the Bakehouse Espresso Group along with her husband Troy.
Where did you go to school?
Justine has lived in the area since she was ten years old and attended St Michaels primary and Shoalhaven High Schools
Tell us about Bakery life?
The Husky bakery has been a local family business for past decades and Justine has continued on in expanding the shop front in Huskisson to four bakeries in the Shoalhaven region.
Interestingly Justine was not from a hospitality background, she is a qualified accountant. Combining these diverse skills has enabled Justine to become a successful business woman and community hero who advocates “not overthinking your career in hospitality, see where it leads. Do what you enjoy, your customers will know."
What has been a highlight in running a large Bakery business?
The bakery had the first female school based apprentice from Vincentia High School in retailed baking combined complete CERTIII.
There was much incredible support from TAFE Illawarra who visited the workplace every six weeks over the 4 year period.
How has the bakery trained and encouraged young people to enter into the hospitality industry?
I won a few state apprentice competitions (world skills, restaurant caterers), Celebrity chef dinnersco-ordinated by TAFE, Cooking for some pretty famous people at Aqua-Luna and working with my peers on the heroes of destiny’s dinner TAFE.
What drives your passion?
Our bakery undertakes training apprentices every year and supports and encourage them to reach their potential.
As our baking industry uses simple tasks we have been able to work with the special needs unit at Vincentia High School by creating opportunities for the students with learning challenges to be able to work with us in our workplace this has been a memorable highlight and achievement.
Justine shares “With the industry seeing skills shortages it is essential for local business to try and keep these valuable skills alive. It is very important for future food security in Australia”
Justine’s philosophy is our team….."They are my work family.”
