Butchery Apprenticeship

DAVID JOINSON & SONS LTD

CHESTER (CH3 5UQ)

Closes on Friday 31 July 2026

Posted on 29 June 2026

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Contents

Summary

DAVID JOINSON & SONS LTD is a successful and growing business looking for an enthusiastic apprentice to join their team. This is an excellent opportunity to gain valuable industry experience, develop practical skills, and work towards a recognised qualification while progressing your career.

Wage

£15,392 to £24,454.04, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Butcher (level 2)
Hours
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 8am-5pm. Including college day which is a Monday

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 24 August 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

  • Cutting & Preparation of meat from primal cuts to sub-primal cuts.
  • Topping up shop counters to include prepacked multi-deck, pies, and the dairy section.
  • Serving customers.
  • Assist in washing and cleaning of equipment and maintaining a high standard of hygiene throughout.
  • Sausage Manufacturing
  • Assist in preparing products for the counter
  • Manual handling - taking delivery of boxed products, lifting and carrying.
  • Handling of sharp tools, operating various equipment, e.g., mincers, slicing machines,weigh scales, tills, card machines.

Where you'll work

125 CHRISTLETON ROAD
CHESTER
CH3 5UQ

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

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation
REASEHEATH COLLEGE

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

GCSE (including Maths & English) (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
  • IT skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Team working

About this employer

Trading for 40 years, traditional butchers making homemade pies & sausages and also do burger manufacturing.

After this apprenticeship

Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).

Full time position within the business after completion of the apprenticeship.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

REASEHEATH COLLEGE

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000036412.

Apply now

Closes on Friday 31 July 2026