PITTSBURGH — The Center for Regional Agriculture, Food and Transformation (CRAFT) at Chatham University in Pittsburgh has launched a Baker Training Program (B.T.P.) that will combine practical baking training and education with targeted entrepreneurial development and strategic food systems planning.

The B.T.P. is a collaborative effort between CRAFT and Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, a nonprofit that provides culinary training and job training for people with barriers to employment. The B.T.P. is an “accelerated program” designed for individuals who want to pursue a career in food service and baking, CRAFT said.

Individuals who participate in the program will have the option to earn college credit in addition to their certificate.

“This innovative program supports entrepreneurial and workforce development, while driving sustainability, in our regional food system,” said Brian Ludwick, Pittsburgh market president. “It’s another demonstration of our commitment to drive economic mobility in our community.”

As part of the program, the B.T.P. will work alongside CRAFT’s food workshops program and Food Innovation Lab and Community Kitchen Pittsburgh’s culinary training program. Most of the training will take place at Community Kitchen Pittsburgh’s kitchen facility, with additional on-site training taking place at local Pittsburgh bakeries, including Mediterra Bakerhouse.

A pilot version of the B.T.P. will debut in the summer of 2020, with the first official cohort scheduled to begin in the fall of 2020, CRAFT said.

The B.T.P. is being funded in part by a $215,000 grant from Bank of America.