Josh – Butcher Apprenticeship

“From my butchery level 2, all the way through to my butchery level 3 qualification I was given help and support by both Fran, my tutor and Malcolm, my boss, whenever required.

Malcolm, who was self taught, started up in his garage making sausages with a hand cranked machine. Quickly, the locals clocked onto the quality of the produce, and before long the farm shop was built. As demand grew, the need for another butcher also grew. And that’s where I came into things. My first day was just before the first Covid lockdown hit. The day consisted of a trip to the abattoir with Malcolm in less than ideal road conditions. This experience was something I will never forget, and doing this gave me some good knowledge for my portfolio.”

“The skills that I learnt throughout my apprenticeship were not just to do with the practical elements involved in being a butcher, but also being able to delegate and deal with high pressure situations effectively. I gained knowledge in crucial areas such as the food safety, reviewing sales reports and product pricing, these are skills that can be taken to any career within a sales or retail role.”

“I found both of my EPA’s challenging. But with the right preparation, and guidance from both Malcolm and Fran I achieved the best possible result which I am extremely proud of.”

“Having these results on paper is something that can’t be taken away from me, whatever happens in the future I’m sure the EPA results by my name will stand me in good stead!”

“Yes, so long as the passion for the meat industry is there.”