Retail Food Group product specialist Donna Elton has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence in the 2016 Australian Baking Industry Scholarship Awards.

Based on the Gold Coast baker rises, Donna is the star baker for Retail Food Group’s bakery brand Brumby’s.

The award is presented to contestants whose submissions meet a specific range of criteria set by the judging panel, but who narrowly miss out on a regional winner’s scholarship.

Contestants were required to submit an essay in response to one of the four scholarship topics and Donna selected ‘Bakery training – where to from here?’

Her essay focused on the modernization of training, in particular using online learning tools such as gamification to engage existing learners and entice new learners to the industry.

Donna said it was an honor to be recognized by the Australian Society of Baking, especially for something she loves doing.

“I am one of those lucky people who get to call their passion a job,” she said.

The accolade is one of six that Donna has received this year so far, including first place in the Savoury Hospitality Bread category at the 2016 King of Gold Coast baker rises Show in Toowoomba for her Brumby’s rosemary, sea salt and garlic pan de casa.

At the same event, she also walked away with two-second place titles for her Brumbys’ traditional sourdough and Brumby’s pasta dura.

Earlier this year, Donna picked up two first-place prizes at the 2016 Queensland Baking Show for her Brumby’s vanilla slice and decorated mud cake, as well as second for her Brumby’s caramel slice.