Butcher
What is the work like?
Butchers sell meat, poultry and meat-based products through individual shops, supermarkets or local markets. Specialist butchers may also make their own meat products such as sausages, burgers and pies.
As a butcher, your work would include:
- buying, ordering and controlling stock
- receiving deliveries and checking their content and hygiene
- moving meat stock to cold storage areas
- preparing product displays
- cutting, boning and trimming meat
- serving customers at the counter
- advising customers on how to prepare and cook meat.
You may also drive to markets, wholesalers and customers’ premises.
You could specialise in halal, kosher or organic foods, depending on the demands of the local community.
What qualifications and experience will employers look for?
You would usually start as a trainee or assistant butcher and train on the job. You could have an advantage when applying for jobs if you have experience in food retail.
Some employers will prefer you to have a Foundation/Basic Food Hygiene Certificate, which can be taken as a one day course. See the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health website for details of courses.
You may be able to get into this job through an Apprenticeship scheme. The range of Apprenticeships available in your area will depend on the local jobs market and the types of skills employers need from their workers. For more information on Apprenticeships, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk.
What further training and development can I do?
You will receive training on the job, usually with assessors from local colleges or training providers coming in to assess your skills, knowledge and competencies.
Your training may include a Food Hygiene Certificate or a short Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) course. The HACCP system covers food safety to the standard of new EU regulations.
Some employers may expect you to work towards NVQs levels 2 and 3 in Meat and Poultry Processing.
You could also complete a range of qualifications provided bt the Meat Training Council, including:
- Foundation Certificate in Meat and Poultry Hygiene – equivalent to the Basic Food Hygiene Certificate, but just for meat and poultry
- Intermediate Certificate in Meat and Poultry – covers the knowledge and understanding needed for the NVQ Level 2 in Meat and Poultry
- Advanced Certificate in Meat and Poultry – covers the knowledge and understanding needed for NVQ Level 3 in Meat and Poultry Processing.
You could join the Worshipful Company of Butchers’ Guild (the professional body for butchers) at various grades of membership depending on your qualifications:
- NVQ Level 2 – Affiliate
- NVQ Level 3 – Associate
- NVQ Level 4 – Graduate.
Membership of the Guild is a way of showing customers that you work to high professional standards.
Where can I go for more information?
Tel: 020 7600 41062 Innovation Close
York
YO10 5ZF
Tel: 0845 644 0448
http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/
Winterhill House
Snowdon Drive
Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire
MK6 1YY
Tel: 01908 231062
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What salary and other benefits can I expect?
- Trainee butchers can start at around £12,000 a year.
- Experienced butchers earn £13,000 to £19,000 or more a year
- Butchery managers can earn around £30,000.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
What are the hours and working conditions?
You would work around 40 hours a week which may include early mornings. You would usually work Saturdays, and Sundays in supermarkets, with time off during the week.
You will spend much of the day on your feet and you may need to lift and carry heavy joints of meat. Your will wear protective clothing when handling meat, to comply with hygiene standards.
You may need to work in chill rooms and cold stores for short periods.
What skills and knowledge will I need?
- good practical skills
- a high standard of personal cleanliness
- the ability to work well in a team
- good communication and customer service skills
- in-depth product knowledge
- good visual sense for counter and window displays
- maths skills for handling payments.
What opportunities are there?
You can work in independent butchers’ shops, retail chains and supermarket butchery departments. Setting up your own shop is also an option.
In supermarkets and retail chains you are likely to have good opportunities for progression to supervisory and managerial posts. You could also use your skills to move into catering, meat manufacturing and meat wholesaling outlets.
With experience, you may be able to move into the Meat Hygiene Service, checking quality and standards in abattoirs and meat plants. See the Meat Inspector profile for more details.
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