Revised butchery apprenticeship secures additional Government funding

The revised apprenticeship has secured £10,000 (per apprentice) in Government funding, up from its previous £9,000, aiming to support new and existing butchers from across industry. This includes those working in both traditional craft/artisan roles and those working in larger manufacturing environments.

The 1.0 Butcher Standard was introduced in 2015 as one of the first apprenticeships launched under a new programme of learning that culminated with the apprentice undertaking an end point assessment (EPA), which was conducted by an Independent Examiner.

The new assessment

Now, the revised 1.2 Butchery Apprenticeship notes a “revamped and modernised” programme. The new EPAs will comprise three different assessments, including:

• A 30 question knowledge test (previously 60 questions)
• Observation with questions (previously a practical skills assessment)
• Interview underpinned by a portfolio (previously a log book)

FDQ said it would continue to “take the lead” on the new standard EPAs, but that centres should also be aware the previous short qualification in food and health safety, knife skills and logbooks was no longer mandatory for new starts. It highlighted that in response to customer requests it would continue to offer the qualifications to support the apprentice’s programme of learning.

Industry “requires flexibility” to meet the needs of different butchers 

Since 2017, over 2,800 apprentices have started the Butchery Apprenticeship, with over 1,600 going on to achieve and qualify as butchers. FDQ said the industry is divided into three, as a third of butchers are in a manufacturing environment, a third work instore at supermarkets and a third work as craft butchers in high street shops or businesses.

CEO of the Food & Drink Training & Education Council (ftc) and secretariat to the Meat Industry Apprenticeship Trailblazer, Christine Walsh, commented: “The Level 2 Butchery Apprenticeship has been in place for nearly a decade now and continued to deliver well-trained butchers for our many butchers’ shops.

“However, many of our large processors supplying the multiple retailers needed a more flexible programme to meet their needs. Furthermore, the costs of delivery had not kept pace with inflation.

“The revised Level 2 Butchery Apprenticeship has been designed by the whole industry to meet the needs of not only in-store and craft butchers, but those process butchers working on fast-paced production lines that require slightly different knowledge and skills.

“The trailblazer group, led by Darren Andrews of Cranswick Country Foods, has worked over the last three years to deliver an apprenticeship programme to meet the needs of the industry for the next 10 years.”

“The revised Level 2 apprenticeship will deliver the trained butchers our industry needs.”

Darren Andrews, operations director at Cranswick Country Foods

Darren Andrews, operations director at Cranswick, said: “As chair of the Meat Industry Trailblazer group, it has been wonderful to see the interest from across the Butchery sector. The group comprised many companies from the largest red meat processors to butchers running premium quality high street & supermarket butcher shops. They have all contributed to generating the revised standard that will deliver a flexible apprenticeship suitable for all sectors of the industry and attracting £10,000 in Government funding.

“We as the employers outlined the changes we required, and we involved the training providers and End Point Assessment (EPA) organisations to ensure that what the industry wanted could be delivered and assessed in a consistent manner. The newly revised Level 2 Butchery Apprenticeship will not only deliver the current high-quality training required by the high street/instore butchers but will enable process butchers to concentrate on one or two species reflecting what they process daily.

“The revised Level 2 apprenticeship will deliver the trained butchers our industry needs.”

UK retailer Morrisons has reportedly put over 200 butchers through the Trailblazer programme so far.

Rebecca Dickinson, people specialist of Apprenticeships and Talent at Morrisons, is a member to the Meat Industry Trailblazer. She said: “The changes made to the Level 2 Butchery standard will enable us to more efficiently train our butchery apprentices, in a more cost effective manner. The new programme will ensure the apprentice has an excellent level of butchery knowledge and skill to pass onto our customers in store.”