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Butcher

Alternative titles for this job include

Butchers prepare and sell meat and poultry, and make meat products like sausages, burgers and pies.

Average salary (a year)

£16,000 Starter

to

£26,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

43 to 45 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on a rota

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become a butcher

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role

College

You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Relevant subjects include:

  • Level 2 Diploma in Butchery
  • Level 2 Certificate or Level 3 Diploma For Proficiency in Meat and Poultry Industry Skills

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

More Information

Apprenticeship

You could get into this job through a butcher intermediate apprenticeship. Once working, you could move onto the butcher advanced apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

More Information

Work

You can start as a trainee or assistant butcher and learn on the job. Knowledge of the meat trade or experience in food retailing may help you find a trainee job.

More Information

Career tips

Any experience you have working with the public, food or handling cash would be useful for this career.

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the Institute of Meat or the National Craft Butchers.

Further information

You'll find more advice about becoming a butcher from Tasty Careers.

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • the ability to work well with others
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • knowledge of food production methods
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • customer service skills
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Restrictions and Requirements

Some employers will want you to have a Level 2 Award in Food Safety for Retail or Catering. This can be taken as a 1-day course and is widely available through colleges and private training providers.

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

On a typical day you could:

  • buy, order, store and control stock
  • receive deliveries and check their content and hygiene
  • move meat stock to cold storage areas
  • create product displays
  • cut, bone and trim meat
  • serve customers
  • advise customers on how to prepare and cook meat
  • drive to markets, wholesalers, and customers' premises

Working environment

You could work in a factory or at a store.

Your working environment may be cool and physically demanding.

You may need to wear protective clothing and a uniform.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could work in larger and higher quality independent butchers' shops, retail chains and supermarkets, or set up your own shop.

You may progress to supervisory or management roles in a supermarket or chain of shops.

You could also work at the Food Standards Agency, checking quality and standards in abattoirs and meat plants.

You could move into catering, meat manufacturing and wholesaling.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

Apprentice Butcher

  • Wage: £11,255.40 Annually
  • Location: WHITLEY BAY

Butchery Apprenticeship

  • Wage: £19,760.00 Annually
  • Location: TEAM VALLEY TRADING ESTATE, GATESHEAD, TYNE & WEAR
Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

Basic Butchery

  • Provider: CAMBRIDGE REGIONAL COLLEGE
  • Start date: 08 March 2023
  • Location: Cambridge
Find courses near you

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