Apprentice Butcher

Summary

In-depth butchery apprenticeship incorporating both wholesale and retail butchery techniques. Includes specialist training in game butchery. Vicars Game is a traditional butchers and game wholesaler, who supply premium products to high end restaurants, pubs, colleges and schools throughout the south of England.

Annual wage: £24,960 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Training course: Butcher (level 2)
Hours: Monday - Friday, 06.00 - 15.00. Day release every Monday at Sparsholt College during term time.
40 hours a week
Possible start date: Monday 7 October
Duration: 2 Years
Positions available: 1

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

You will be trained in athe traditional craft of butchery from our skilled team of butchers, to include:

Train with both wholesale and retail butchers to learn a range of skills, from whole carcass breakdown, to finishing products to high-end specification.
Specialist game unit teaching breakdown of Deer, Boar, and game birds.
Work alongside our in-house sausage production team to learn our traditional sausage-making techniques.
Extensive training in all areas of butchery including breakdown, boning, and finishing.
Applicant will need to have a positive attitude and be approachable for customer facing aspects of the role.
A degree of manual lifting will be required when dealing with carcasses.

For insurance purposes and due to the remote location of the business and having to travel to Sparsholt College on a day release basis, applicants will need access to their own vehicle.

Where you’ll work

CASEY FIELDS FARM

ASHAMPSTEAD

READING

RG8 8SJ

Training

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

SPARSHOLT COLLEGE

Your training course

Butcher (level 2)

Equal to GCSE

Course contents

Comply with regulations and legislation relevant to their role and business.

Able to maintain, sharpen, and use knives and cutting equipment to undertake a range of primary and secondary butchery skills.

Manual handling of carcasses and primal 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.

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.

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.