Apprentice Butcher

Summary

Are you passionate about food and interested in developing a rewarding career in butchery? We are looking for an enthusiastic Apprentice Butcher to join our friendly team!

Wage

Competitive

Competitive wage offered

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Under 18: £8 per hour rising to £10 per hour after the first year. 18 to 20: £8 per hour rising to £10 per hour after the first year. 21 - 22: £12.50 per hour to increase after a year 23+: £12.50 per hour to increase after a year

Training course

Butcher (level 2)

Hours

Tuesday - Friday 09:30am to 5:30pm with 1 hour unpaid lunch and Saturday 07:30am to 4:30pm with 1 hour unpaid lunch.

36 hours a week

Start date

Thursday 24 July 2025

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

1

Work

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

What you'll do at work

Why Join Us?

Learn valuable skills in a supportive environment
Gain a Level 2 Butchery Qualification whilst being paid
Opportunities for career progression
Staff socials and Christmas party
Staff discounts on quality meat and products
Pension scheme
Additional days' holiday for your birthday

What You'll Do:

Learn the art of meat preparation, sausage making and butchery skills
Assist with daily tasks in the shop, including customer service
Gain hands-on experience with different cuts of meat and food safety standards
Support the team in maintaining a clean and organised workspace
Work towards a Level 2 Qualification and keep up-to-date with coursework

Where you'll work

THE SQUARE
WICKHAM
FAREHAM
PO17 5JG

Training

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

College or training organisation

MEAT EAST ANGLIA TRADES (IPSWICH) LIMITED

Your training course

Butcher (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

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.

Your training plan

This training plan has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade C/4)
Maths (grade C/4)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
Organisation skills
Customer care skills
Team working
Eager to learn
Enthusiastic
Reliable
Hard Working
Passion for Food

Other requirements

Heavy lifting is involved, and working in cold environments at times.

About this company

We are a local independent artisan butchers shop offering top-quality, ethically sourced meat from local producers.

https://www.meonvalleybutchers.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Staff socials and Christmas party. Staff discounts on quality meat and products. Pension scheme. Additional days' holiday for your birthday.

After this apprenticeship

Level 3 qualification and management training.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is: