Whether they’re planning a grill out or bringing home a holiday roast, customers count on the skills of a butcher to prepare the meat they purchase. Butchers and meat cutters cut and trim meat into steaks, chops, and other cuts using knives, grinders, or meat saws. They prepare meat for sale— weighing it, wrapping it, and putting it on display. Butchers may serve customers directly. Butchers who run their own store often track inventory, order supplies, and perform other recordkeeping duties. In processing plants, these workers are known as meat, poultry and fish cutters and trimmers. Because they typically work on an assembly line, they usually perform a single cut repeatedly during their shift. These workers need to consistently follow procedures to meet safety and health standards. Butchers and meat cutters often stand for long periods, and usually work in cold rooms. Dexterity, strength, and stamina are also essential qualities in this field. There are typically no formal education requirements to become a butcher. They train on the job, learning simple cuts within a few weeks, and advancing to more complicated tasks over several months to a year. While most butchers work full time, shifts may be scheduled from early mornings to late evenings, and include weekends and holidays.
What they do:
Cut, trim, or prepare consumer-sized portions of meat for use or sale in retail establishments.
On the job, you would:
Prepare and place meat cuts and products in display counter, so they will appear attractive and catch the shopper's eye.
Wrap, weigh, label, and price cuts of meat.
Cut, trim, bone, tie, and grind meats, such as beef, pork, poultry, and fish, to prepare meat in cooking form.
Business
customer service
sales and marketing
Manufactured or Agricultural Goods
food production
manufacture and distribution of products
Basic Skills
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Hand and Finger Use
hold or move items with your hands
keep your arm or hand steady
Attention
pay attention to something without being distracted
People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
Dependability
Cooperation
Integrity
Attention to Detail
Self Control
Initiative
You might use software like this on the job:
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Electronic mail software
Microsoft Outlook
Accounting software
Financial accounting software
high school diploma/GED or no high school diploma/GED usually needed
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