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Butchery Apprenticeships at Bishop Burton College

Train as a Butcher in East Yorkshire

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Develop your butchery skills while earning a wage with a butchery apprenticeship at Bishop Burton College.
 

Whether you’re starting your career or preparing for greater responsibility, our Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeships combine workplace experience with college training. You’ll develop the knowledge, practical skills and professional standards needed in the meat industry.
 

Our team works with employers ranging from independent butcher shops to large food manufacturers, tailoring your learning to your workplace.

Training Provider of the Year, 2026 Institute of Meat Awards

We are celebrating success at the National Meat Awards, showcasing the incredible skills and dedication of our butchery apprentices and teaching team.

In this video, our Head Butchery Lecturer Paul Nicholson and two apprentices share their experience of competing at the awards and explain what it’s like to study a butchery apprenticeship at Bishop Burton College.

Find out more on our press release here.

Bishop Burton Best Training Provider
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Butchery at Bishop Burton – Quick Overview

  • Location: Bishop Burton, near Beverley, East Yorkshire
  • Study options: Level 2 Butcher and Level 3 Advanced Butcher apprenticeships
  • Learning: Paid employment alongside college training
  • College attendance: One day per week
  • Industry settings: Retail butchery, meat processing and in-store butchery
  • Progression: Advanced training and opportunities for greater workplace responsibility
BB Butchery
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Why Choose Bishop Burton College?

Learn with experienced staff who understand the demands of professional butchery.

You’ll benefit from:

  • Training relevant to your job and employer
  • Support from tutors with practical industry experience
  • Opportunities to apply your learning at work
  • A progression route from introductory to advanced butchery skills

We have worked with independent businesses and large employers, including Cranswick Foods.

Butchery Apprenticeships Available

Level 2 Butcher Apprenticeship

Start developing the skills needed for a career in butchery. You’ll explore meat preparation, food safety and product quality while learning in paid employment.

The programme lasts approximately 18 months, excluding the end-point assessment. College lessons are predominantly theory-based, with practical learning in your workplace.

Level 3 Advanced Butcher Apprenticeship

Build advanced craft skills and prepare to take responsibility for a shop or function within a meat business.

Training covers technical butchery, supervisory responsibilities and food safety management. The programme lasts approximately 18–24 months, excluding the end-point assessment.

What You May Study

At Level 2, topics include:

  • Butchery techniques
  • Primal cutting and boning
  • Product quality
  • Environmental safety in food operations

At Level 3, you may build on your skills through:

  • Animal welfare principles
  • Meat chilling, maturation, handling and storage
  • Specialist tools and knife skills
  • Standard operating procedures
  • Supervising sales and organising colleagues
  • Food safety supervision and HACCP

HACCP means Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points: a system for identifying and controlling food safety hazards.

Workplace Learning and Career Progression

Both apprenticeships combine employment with weekly college training.

Level 2 can support progression to the Level 3 Advanced Butcher Apprenticeship. With further experience, you could work towards supervisory, production or technical management responsibilities.

Successful Level 3 apprentices are eligible for full membership of the Institute of Meat.

Entry Requirements

You’ll need suitable employment to undertake an apprenticeship. Academic requirements vary between programmes.

Check the individual course pages and speak to our team about your qualifications, experience and employment arrangements.

Frequently asked questions

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Learn in professional kitchens

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Student Profiles

Tom jackson

Tom Jackson - Apprentice

Since starting his Butchery apprentice journey in 2021 Tom has gone from strength to strength, building his skills, knowledge and understanding of the Butchery industry, to determine his interests lay in a more traditional butcher’s route. He is currently working as Executive Butcher and line manager at Timm Family Butchers and studying the Level 3 Advanced Butcher course to further augment his skills and has even met royalty!

Read more profiles

Meet your tutors

Paul Nicholson Lead Assessor and Coach in Butchery Apprenticeships

Paul Nicholson

Lead Assessor and Coach in Butchery Apprenticeships

"I’m from a farming background and got into the butchery after school, so I really know the importance of learning a trade.

"I’ve had a fantastic career, including opening and running a butchery department at Castle Howard stately home and running a farm shop called Fodder at Yorkshire Agricultural Society, so I know what it can lead to.

"There’s no doubt apprenticeships can open many doors and be a platform for a long and successful career."

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