Tom Jackson - Apprentice

“My career as a butcher began at Cranswick Country Food where I worked for a whole week before securing an apprenticeship in retail butcher’s shop, which I believed conformed more closely to the career path I wished to follow. My career began at Propa Butchers in November 2021 just before Christmas, which is always a busy time for any butcher’s shop. Within the first few months I learned some rudimentary butcher’s skills and a great deal about the trade.

In February 2022, I started studying at Bishop Burton College for my apprenticeship. I found the course engaging; the tutors dedicated, hardworking, and charismatic. I particularly enjoyed studying with people in different butcher’s shops and hearing about the variety of practices - noticing the differences and similarities. During this time, my interests became far more orientated towards managing a traditional butcher’s shop that dealt in local produce, over the hybrid wholesaler/retail butcher’s where I was working."

After completing my EPA, through Bishop Burton Butchery Assessor Paul Nicholson, I was recommended to start a new job
at Timm Family Butchers, owned by award-winning farmer Chris Timm who had recently purchased DJ Horsely as an avenue to sell his own beef and lamb.

On my first day, I met King Charles III, as he was visiting Chris’s farm, which is part of his Duchy Farms. I found what I had been taught on the Level 2 Butcher course by tutor Paul Nicholson and Michael Sword, to be invaluable. Furthermore, by the end of my first week at Timm Family Butchers, the skills I had acquired through my time at college and my time in my previous job, I was in the position of managing the butchery department.

I am now studying the Level 3 Advanced Butcher course to further augment my skills and knowledge and am executive butcher and line manager at Timm Family Butchers.

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