Butchery Apprentice

We are looking for an enthusiastic and hardworking apprentice to join our small, family-run butcher’s shop. We specialise in traditional whole-carcass butchery, with much of our beef and lamb coming directly from our own farm, just a few miles from the shop.

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

This apprenticeship offers the opportunity for the right person to learn the skills of full-carcass butchery within a friendly and supportive team environment. An important part of the role will be developing a strong understanding of our customers and their individual requirements. You will learn how to confidently identify what a customer is looking for, recommend the most suitable cuts of meat and advise on quantities to ensure they get exactly what they need.

The apprentice will also play an important role in the production and development of our range of value-added products, which is an increasingly important part of our business. We are particularly well known locally for our wide variety of handmade sausages, and you will have the opportunity to learn how to produce these to a consistently high standard, as well as contribute ideas to the development of new flavours and products.

This is a varied, hands-on role offering the chance to develop practical butchery skills, product knowledge, customer service skills and an understanding of all aspects of a modern, traditional butcher’s shop. As a small team, the right person will have the opportunity to make a real contribution to the business and become an integral and valued member of our team. If you are reliable, keen to learn, take pride in your work and would enjoy being part of a growing family business, we would love to hear from you.

Where you'll work

12 St. Georges Square
Hebden Bridge
HX7 8ET

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

MEAT EAST ANGLIA TRADES (IPSWICH) LIMITED

Training course

Butcher (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

• Comply with regulations and legislation relevant to their role and business.
• Maintains and sharpens knives and cutting equipment.
• Manual handling of carcases or primals through the manufacturing or butchery process.
• Adhere to the organisational policies and standard operating procedures.
• Maintain the meat product to the given customer specification and food safety compliance and traceability procedures in the meat supply chain.
• Support colleagues in delivering the daily workplace requirements.
• Use technology and applications to support production, sales, and customer service.
• Contribute to continuous improvement activities which focus on improving sustainability within the business.
• Communicate with customers and stakeholders to meet their requirements.
• Process and dispose of waste material.
• Uses knives and cutting equipment to undertake a range of primary and secondary butchery skills.
• Serve customers in line with brand standards.
• Advise customers on the use by dates, storage, preparation, and cooking of meat products.
• Prepare, produce, and display meat products such as joints, portions, sausages, burgers, value-added products and offer alternative products when required.
• Plan and prepare for seasonal supply and demand of meat products in the merchandising and promotion of seasonal foods.
• Provide provenance and heritage product information.
• Set up and close meat counter displays.
• Balance the customers’ needs with additional linked products and services such as marinades, and encourage customer loyalty and repeat business.
• Produce meat to the specific volume, size, and weight to meet the needs of stakeholders.
• Maximise the saleable yield for the business relating to carcases or primals.
• Contribute to efficiencies to support the key performance indicators (KPIs) of the business through working to agreed specifications for their role.
• Adhere to customer specifications and contracts.
• Contribute to foreign body control and metal detection.
• Meet key performance indicators within meat processing.
• Comply with regulations and legislation relevant to their role and business.
• Maintains and sharpens knives and cutting equipment.
• Manual handling of carcases or primals through the manufacturing or butchery process.
• Adhere to the organisational policies and standard operating procedures.
• Maintain the meat product to the given customer specification and food safety compliance and traceability procedures in the meat supply chain.
• Support colleagues in delivering the daily workplace requirements.
• Use technology and applications to support production, sales, and customer service.
• Contribute to continuous improvement activities which focus on improving sustainability within the business.
• Communicate with customers and stakeholders to meet their requirements.
• Process and dispose of waste material.
• Uses knives and cutting equipment to undertake a range of primary and secondary butchery skills.