Butchery Apprenticeship Programme

Summary

Ready to carve out your career in the meat industry? Join our Butchery Apprenticeship Programme and learn from the best in the business! No experience? No problem, if you’ve got the right attitude, we’ll teach you the rest.

Wage

£26,436 a year

You could earn up to an extra £2,500 during the programme through milestone incentive payments that recognise your hard work, progress and commitment.

Training course

Butcher (level 2)

Hours

Monday to Friday. Shifts times TBC.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 7 September 2026

Duration

1 year 4 months

Positions available

5

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

As a Butchery Apprentice at ABP UK, you'll gain foundational knowledge and practical skills in butchery, contributing to the production of award-winning British and Irish beef and lamb products. You'll learn about quality, efficiency, traceability, sustainability, animal welfare, stress prevention, and lean manufacturing practices. This apprenticeship is a Level 2 programme that will give you the foundations for a fulfilling career in meat processing.

Key Responsibilities

• Learn the Basics: Acquire foundational knowledge in butchery principles, meat species, and carcass processing techniques
• Master Your Craft: Develop knife skills for cutting, boning, trimming, and mincing meat
• Gain Industry Insight: Understand the meat sector's history, values, culture, and traditions
• Team Collaboration: Work with the team to meet deadlines and productivity targets
• Maintain Standards: Adhere to health, food safety, and hygiene standards
• Support Operations: Assist in stock control, quality assurance, and customer expectations

Where you'll work

The Abattoir
Hordley
Ellesmere
Shropshire
SY12 9BL

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

MELIORATE INSTITUTE EDUCATION AND TRAINING LTD

Training course

Butcher (level 2)

What you'll learn

• 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

As an Apprentice at ABP, you'll learn from experienced mentors and be part of a supportive, dynamic team. Alongside your Mentor, you'll also have regular contact with the training provider who will visit you at the site and support you to complete your Level 2 apprenticeship.

Requirements

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Attention to detail
• Team working
• Physical fitness

Other requirements

• No formal qualifications required! We'll support you towards completing your Level 1 Functional Skills
• Enthusiasm for the industry and a commitment to completing your apprenticeship
• Keen to develop your skills and grow within the company