Now in its 24th year, the prestigious Australian Baking Industry National Scholarships program is currently accepting entries, promising a host of opportunities for talented pastry cooks and bakers around the country.

Since 1990, two scholarships – the Arthur E. Denison Trophy and the Sydney J. Packham Baking Industry Medal – have enabled 126 of the industry’s most talented bakers and pastry chefs to travel on regional scholarships, with 43 given the opportunity to travel overseas, including to the US, France, Germany and Singapore, to expand their skill sets.

For entrants aged 25 years and older, the Arthur E. Denison Trophy is named after the doyen of Australian bread judges. Each year, “the Denison” requires entrants to research and submit a paper on one of four topics. These submissions are then judged independently in September, with the top scoring paper in each region winning a five-day regional scholarship trip.

This year’s destination is Melbourne. Included are visits to cake and pastry outlets, retail bakeries, manufacturing sites, a day at the Australian Society of Baking’s (ASB’s) annual conference and attendance at a series of social functions.

An all-expenses-paid trip to Germany – including to the world’s leading trade fair for bakery, iba – is also on offer for the scholarship recipient.

The coveted Sydney J. Packham (OAM) Baking Industry Medal – named after the founder of the ASB – is offered for the baking industry’s younger generation, open to entrants aged 18-24. Each entrant is required to research a series of questions that cover a broad cross-section of baking industry products and practices. The top scoring paper in each region wins a five-day regional scholarship trip to Melbourne in October, plus a “Packham” medal.

The national winner of the Sydney J. Packham Baking Industry Medal will receive an overseas scholarship trip in 2015. They will also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Singapore and a Callebaut chocolate course.

Entries are now accepted for both scholarships until August 29, 2014. For more information, contact Craig Perry at abis2010@aol.com.