Quality
Meat Scotland (QMS), in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink, is
aiming to change the face of butchery by urging young people and career
changers to consider a role within the sector – helping to fill more
than 750 potential vacancies in the process.
With
the average age of a butcher in Scotland much higher than other
professions, the industry needs to ensure there is a pipeline of
trainees coming through to future proof the red meat sector, amidst a
serious shortfall of skilled positions.
Becoming
an apprentice butcher offers the chance to learn a craft and pick up
skills that range from traditional practices to those using cutting-edge
technologies. Around 25 per cent of current vacancies are
apprenticeship opportunities in the retail, processing and catering
sector.
Grant Duffy, of Strachan’s Craft Butchers in Blantyre, is
an ambassador for The Scotch Butchers Club and has worked in the
butchery trade for 13 years. Starting as an apprentice at James Ewart’s
in Perthshire, he moved to Lanarkshire as a fully qualified butcher and
assumed the position of butchery manager in 2020.
Speaking of his time as an apprentice, Grant said: “Becoming
a fully qualified butcher is no easy tasks. You have to be determined
and be willing to hit the ground running, but you really do get back
what you put in.
“Butchery
is such a rewarding career and I’ve learned so many skills that I’ve
been able to use in my everyday life, not just at work. It’s a fantastic
trade and I encourage school leavers and career changers looking for a
practical role to consider a career within butchery.”
Gordon Newlands, brand development and Scotch Butchers Club manager at QMS, said: “Butchery
is one of the oldest crafts in the world and an industry we are keen to
protect. We’re working on bringing the average age of a butcher down
and balancing the gender split – only 14% of apprentices are currently
women.
“With
new technology being mixed with traditional methods, a career in
butchery is an exciting opportunity that can provide both men and women
with a strong, transferable skill set.
“On
the back of a few very challenging years, we continue to face a skilled
labour shortage in the UK. Offering apprenticeships allows younger
generations and career changers the chance to upskill on the job, which
in turn supports our social and economic future. A new intake of
apprentices will not only help decrease the skills gap but help
safeguard the butcher industry for years to come.”
The
butchery programme is also raising awareness of the Government funding
opportunities available to support businesses in employing young people.
To find out more about a career in butchery, potential candidates can visit https://butcherycareers.co.uk/ to learn about training opportunities, read and watch the real stories of young butchers’ careers and explore job postings.
Grant’s Top Tips for Successful Apprentices