Meatcutters: Salary, career path, job outlook, education and more
Butchers in meat-processing plants are also known as meatcutters. They may have a more limited range of duties than those working in a grocery store or specialty meat shop. Because they typically work on an assembly line, those in processing plants usually perform one specific functiona single type of cutduring their shift.
Butchers use knives, grinders, or meat saws. They follow sanitation standards while working and when cleaning equipment, countertops, and working areas in order to prevent meat contamination.
Butchers who run their own retail store also track inventory, order supplies, and perform other recordkeeping duties.
- Education Required
- There are no formal education requirements for becoming a butcher.
- Training Required
- Butchers typically learn their skills on the job, and the length of training varies considerably. Training for simple cutting may take only a few weeks. However, more complicated cutting tasks generally require training that may last from several months to more than a year.
- Job Outlook
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The projected percent change in employment from 2016 to 2026: 6% (As fast as average)
(The average growth rate for all occupations is 7 percent.) - Median pay: How much do Butchers make?
- $29,870 Annual Salary
- $14.36 per hour
Careers for Butchers
- Butcher apprentices
- Halal butchers
- Kosher butchers
- Meat carvers
- Meat clerks
- Meat counter workers