Leaning into opportunities leads to incredible learning experiences for Faithe Haley
Creating the world’s largest Nanaimo bar is an ambitious learning experience and one Faithe Haley won’t soon forget.
Faithe was part of the team of VIU Culinary Arts and Professional Baking and Pastry Arts students and alumni who set a new world record in May 2025. Students, alumni and faculty created a Nanaimo bar weighing nearly 500 kilograms that was 21.3 metres long.
“It was such an amazing opportunity for all the students and a great fundraiser for the university that impacted so many people’s learning experience,” says Faithe, who participated as an alum. “It showed me that if you are determined to make something happen, no matter how silly it feels at first, you are more capable than you think.”
Faithe graduated from VIU’s Baking and Pastry Arts Management Diploma in 2023 and now works as a Baker at Old Town Bakery in Ladysmith, BC. Faithe says the program taught them how to plan out their day and week, manage timings and a station by themselves.
Faithe knew they wanted to study baking when they graduated from high school and eventually get their Red Seal. Faithe heard good things about VIU’s baking program and it was one of the few locations that offered everything from the fundamentals to the Red Seal exam.
Faithe’s advice to future students is to lean into opportunities that pique your interest, even if they aren’t part of the program.
“Talk to your teachers, step out of your comfort zone, chances are putting a little extra work into something that interests you will leave you with incredible experiences,” says Faithe. “Above all else, you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.”
Faithe was among the first group back to in-person classes after COVID and the first group to do the newly added second year of the program, which includes business classes to prepare students for running their own bakeries one day.
“I became very close with my classmates and had even more fun than I could have expected because of that,” says Faithe. “I didn't expect to gain the connection I did with the teachers, and the number of opportunities they created, helped fulfil and pushed us to take, even after finishing school.”
One of Faithe’s proudest accomplishments is going on an international co-op. They worked at Builin Blasta Café in Spiddal, Ireland. It is a café-bakery about half an hour outside of Galway whose name translates to tasty loaf. Faithe ran the baking portion of the café themselves and made many things ranging from bread to cookies and bars to a delicious chocolate Guinness cake.
“Although it was a huge change coming straight out of school and having never worked in a bakery, it really pushed me to learn how to keep track of ordering ingredients and planning my prep work,” says Faithe. “It was a big step out of my comfort zone, leaving so much of my life in Canada to go to a country I've never been to before to go work and live. But it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Not only did I learn a lot about baking and the local culture, but I learned a lot about myself and the kind of life that I want.”
At Old Town Bakery, Faithe manages their own station, making all the muffins, scones and tarts every morning. Faithe enjoys the first half of their day, while doing prep work provides variety and opportunities to create new flavour ideas for things like the Danishes and muffins.
“My job has helped me continue to develop the skills I learned in Ireland, while always reminding me that teamwork is incredibly important,” says Faithe. “Although I don’t have any long-term goals at the moment, working at Old Town Bakery has helped show me the difference between school and working in an actual bakery. Since it’s a relatively small team with owners who are very present, I get to understand some of the inner workings of management-ownership without being a manager.”
Learn more about VIU's Baking and Pastry Arts Management Diploma
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