Apprentice Butcher
A LAVERACK & SON
York (YO42 2AH)
Closes in 19 days (Monday 3 August 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 13 July 2026
Contents
Summary
Join Laveracks at Pocklington as an Apprentice Retail Butcher and learn a skilled trade with an established East Yorkshire family business. You will gain hands-on experience preparing, cutting and presenting quality meat products, serving customers and producing added-value products while completing a Level 2 Butcher apprenticeship.
- Wage
-
£20,800 a year
- Training course
- Butcher (level 2)
- Hours
-
Working days will be confirmed at interview and will be based on the needs of the business. The role will include weekend working, with Saturdays forming part of the normal working pattern.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 1 September 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
- Learn how to safely use knives, machinery, tools and butchery equipment
- Prepare, trim, portion and present meat products to Laveracks’ standards
- Produce burgers, kebabs, marinated products and other added-value lines
- Support the preparation and maintenance of attractive counter displays
- Serve customers professionally, provide product advice and take customer orders
- Learn about different meat cuts, cooking methods, seasonality and local produce
- Follow strict food safety, hygiene, traceability, allergen and health and safety procedures
- Receive and store stock correctly, rotate products and minimise waste
- Keep work areas, equipment and storage areas clean, safe and well organised
- Work as part of a busy, friendly retail team and support the wider shop when required
Where you'll work
48-50 Market Place
Pocklington
York
YO42 2AH
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BISHOP BURTON 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
Apprentices will typically spend 4 days per week in the workplace gaining practical, on-the-job experience and 1 day per week at Bishop Burton College undertaking the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to achieve their apprenticeship. The delivery pattern will be confirmed during the enrolment process and may vary to meet the needs of the employer and programme.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 3/D)
- Maths (grade 3/D)
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
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
This is a practical, hands-on role in a busy food retail environment. The apprentice will regularly work in chilled areas and will need to be comfortable handling raw meat products while following strict hygiene and food safety procedures.
The role involves standing for long periods, manual handling, cleaning duties, early starts and some Saturday working. Applicants must be able to travel reliably to Pocklington and attend college sessions at Bishop Burton as required.
Full training, appropriate PPE and supervision will be provided. No previous butchery experience is required, but applicants must be willing to learn, take instruction and work safely.
About this employer
Laveracks is a proud East Yorkshire family business with a long tradition of quality, craftsmanship and local produce. We are passionate about developing the next generation of skilled butchers and offer genuine hands-on learning in a busy, supportive retail environment. This is an opportunity to learn from experienced professionals, build confidence with customers and develop a skilled career within a respected local business.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
On successful completion, the apprentice could progress into a qualified Retail Butcher role at Laveracks. With experience, there may be opportunities to develop into a senior butcher, counter supervisor, product-development role or management position. Suitable candidates may also have the opportunity to progress onto the Level 3 Advanced Butcher apprenticeship.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
BISHOP BURTON COLLEGE
Jade Bishop
apprenticeshipenquiries@bishopburton.ac.uk
01964553056
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000042302.
Apply now
Closes in 19 days (Monday 3 August 2026 at 11:59pm)