Butchery Apprenticeship

W JAMES

STOKE ON TRENT (ST2 7HL)

Closes in 25 days (Tuesday 31 March 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 25 February 2026

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Summary

A dedicated butcher, to fit into our skilled team, in a fast-paced environment, producing high quality meats and meat products.

Wage

£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Pay to be discussed at interview stage.

Training course
Butcher (level 2)
Hours
Monday (college) Tuesday 8am- 5pm Wednesday 10am- 5pm Friday 8am- 5pm Saturday 7am- 2.30pm May be subject to change.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 6 April 2026

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

  • Full carcase butchery into primal and retail cuts
  • Prepare and make sausages and a variety of other added value products
  • Creating & maintaining counter displays with attention to detail
  • Serving customers; weighing, packaging and pricing products
  • Maintaining high standards of food safety and hygiene
  • Opportunity to learn the slaughtering process in our on-site abattoir

Where you'll work

894 LEEK NEW ROAD
Baddeley Green
STOKE ON TRENT
ST2 7HL

Training

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

Training provider

REASEHEATH COLLEGE

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.

Training schedule

The butchery apprenticeship training will take place 1 day a week at Reaseheath College.

  • This will be 12 to 18 months, depending on previous experience
    At the end of this apprenticeship, you will achieve an intermediate apprenticeship in Level 2 butchery and apprentices must achieve
  • Level 2 Food Safety Award, Level 2 Health & Safety in the Food Supply Chain Award, and Level 2 Knife Skills Award prior to taking the end-point assessment
  • Apprentices without functional skills level 1 or equivalent English and mathematics will need to achieve this level and take the test for level 2 English and mathematics prior to taking the end-point assessment
  • Progression after achieving the Level 2 Apprenticeship, candidates can progress through to a Level 3 advanced apprenticeship in butchery

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

English, Maths (grade 4 / C and above)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Presentation skills
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Initiative

About this employer

We are a family run traditional butchers located on the edge of the Staffordshire Moorlands. We have our own shop, cutting room and abattoir, all on one site.

We pride ourselves in offering premium home grown and locally sourced meats and other produce, complimented by excellent customer service.

After this apprenticeship

  • For a committed candidate with potential, there may be opportunity for progression onto a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship in Butchery and/or a full-time position within our business

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

REASEHEATH COLLEGE

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000017543.

Apply now

Closes in 25 days (Tuesday 31 March 2026 at 11:59pm)