Professional Butchery Techniques
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Program Overview
Canada is experiencing a critical shortage of skilled butchers, with industry organizations reporting thousands of unfilled roles nationwide. This butcher training program prepares you to enter this high-demand trade with hands-on training from expert faculty and partners who work at national and international competition levels. Gain practical meat-cutting skills valued in artisan shops, grocery retailers and processing facilities, an in-demand career path resilient to automation.
Program Details
Program Code
PBT1
Credential:
Ontario College Certificate
Duration
30 weeks
Start Dates
Locations
Availability
Full Time Offerings
2026 September
London
Open
Start Dates
Locations
Availability
Full Time Offerings
2026 September
London - Downtown
Open
Your Learning Experience
Develop meat-cutting skills in this butcher training program with hands-on learning in professional culinary labs at Fanshawe’s London Downtown Campus with skilled butchers, faculty and industry partners who actively compete and coach at national and international levels. You’ll develop whole-animal butchery skills, value-added product production, food safety, traceability and yield optimization, all key competencies that industry reports identify as urgently needed (Food Processing Skills Canada - “Securing Canada’s Meat Workforce”).
Hands-on Butcher Education for High-Demand Meat Processing Careers
Labour market studies warn that Canada’s processing sector continues to face extreme shortages, with empty butcher stations rising from 1,700 to more than 10,000 in recent years (Canadian Meat Council). Ontario’s meat sector also reports persistent shortages of trained butchers, who are crucial to maintaining retail and plant operations.
Whether you’re starting in culinary, discovering butchery after beginning another program, or retraining for a stable, hands-on career, this butcher training program will prepare you to step directly into an essential and automation-resilient trade.
Upon graduation, you may also choose to transition into the Retail Meat Cutter 245R Apprenticeship or to earn dual certificates by transitioning into the Culinary Skills program.
Career Information
Career Opportunities in Butchery and Meat Processing
Canada’s meat sector represents nearly 25% of all food and beverage processing sales and exports, yet continues to face long-term labour shortages (Food Processing Skills Canada - “Securing Canada’s Meat Workforce”). This demand creates strong job security for trained butchers entering the field.
Graduates may pursue roles in:
- Arisan butcher shops
- Grocery store meat departments
- Specialty meat purveyors
- Restaurants and food service operations
- Meat processing and fabrication plants
- Value-added product development
Industry organizations emphasize that Ontario needs more trained culinary trades workers, including butchers, to support retail, restaurant, and food production businesses (CBC London - “Butchers, bakers and food makers: More culinary trades workers are needed in London”).
Fanshawe Professional Butchery Techniques graduates will enter a labour market actively seeking skilled, hands-on professionals.
Learning Outcomes
- Process the beef front quarter, beef hind quarter, a side of pork, a carcass of lamb, a side of veal, and various types of poultry into wholesale and retail cuts;
- Practise procedures used to control foodborne illness in compliance with recognized industry standards, food service laws, and government regulations;
- Provide quality customer service by responding to inquiries about basic cooking, food safety, and carving techniques and identifying health and safety issues;
- Determine markups and markdowns and profit and loss related to the retail meat cutting industry;
- Select the appropriate packaging material for different products to ensure safety and salability;
- Select parts of the animal carcass for retail cuts of meat based on bone, fat, and muscle structures, and dispose of abnormalities in a safe and sterile manner;
- Demonstrate safe working practices and the safe set up, breakdown, operation, and maintenance of tools and equipment in accordance with health and safety regulations;
- Fabricate fresh sausage using industry-specific equipment;
- Develop value-added products, such as spice rubs, marinades, and stuffed and/or breaded meat products to support sales in a retail operation;
- Identify and label meat products to comply with Canadian Food Inspection Agency regulations;
- Receive and store meat products in a safe and orderly manner to meet industry standards for quality and safety;
Related Programs
Academic School
Program Coordinator:
Troy Spicer
Admission Requirements
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent,
or
mature applicant with the following course:
- Grade 12 English (C or U)
Students who do not meet the admission requirements are
recommended for academic
upgrading. A conditional offer may be possible with proof of
enrolment.
International Admission Equivalencies
Admission equivalencies for Fanshawe depends on your country of study. Please enter your location to see the requirements for your country below.
English Language Requirements
English Language Requirements
| Test | Score |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | 79 |
| IELTS Academic | Overall score of 6.0 with no score less than 5.5 in any of the four bands |
| CAEL | Overall score of 60 with no score less than 50 in any of the four bands. score of 80 in listening |
| PTE Academic | 53 |
| Cambridge English | Overall score of 169 with no language skill less than 162 |
| ESL4/GAP5 | Minimum grade of 80% in Level 8, 75% in Level 9, or 70% in Level 10 |
| Duolingo | Overall score of 105, with no score lower than 95 |
| LANGUAGECERT | Overall score of 65 with no score less than 60 in any of the four skills |
Recommended Academic Preparation
Recommended Academic Preparation
- Grade 11 Food and Culture (M)
- Grade 11 Information and Communication Technology: The Digital Environment (O) OR Grade 12 Information and Communication Technology: Multimedia Solutions (C)
- Any Grade 11 or Grade 12 Entrepreneurship (C) or (O)
- Grade 11 and Grade 12 Hospitality and Tourism (C)
- Academic and Career Entrance Certificate (ACE): Business or Technical Mathematics course and Computer Skills course
Recommended Personal Preparation
Recommended Personal Preparation
- Develop an interest in meat cutting by visiting butcher shops, grocery store meat counters and by following meat industry leaders and butchers on social media
- Develop leadership skills
- The person who enters the meat cutting industry should be motivated, responsible, have a high attention to detail and enjoy working in a fast-paced environment
- Employment in the meat industry would be an asset
Applicant Selection Criteria
Applicant Selection Criteria
Where the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available spaces in the program, the Applicant Selection Criteria will be:- Preference for Permanent Residents of Ontario
- Receipt of Application by February 1st (After this date, Fanshawe College will consider applicants on a first-come, first-served basis until the program is full)
- Achievement in the Admission Requirements
Post-Admission Requirements
Post-Admission Requirements
- Valid Safe Food Handlers Certificate
Courses
| Level 1 | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
| SFTY-1071 | Safe Work Practices | 2 | ||
| In this course, students will be introduced to occupational health and safety practices. They will study equipment utilized in the meat cutting industry, personal protective equipment, current workplace legislation, best practices in occupational health and safety, food safety and regulatory compliance. | ||||
| WRIT-1042 | Reason & Writing 1-Tourism/Hospitality | 3 | ||
| This course will introduce tourism and hospitality students to essential principles of reading, writing, and reasoning at the postsecondary level. Students will identify, summarize, analyze, and evaluate multiple short readings and write persuasive response essays to develop their vocabulary, comprehension, grammar, and critical thinking. | ||||
| FDMG-1131 | Nomenclature & Labelling | 2 | ||
| In this course the students will demonstrate an understanding of food labelling, nomenclature, and regulations and policies which apply to statements and claims made for foods. The most recent CFIA food labelling requirements will be used. | ||||
| FDMG-1127 | Meat Cutting Practicum 1 | 2 | ||
| This course provides hands-on training in the identification and processing of primal, sub primal, and fabricated cuts of Beef and Lamb. The content includes demonstrations on the safe operation of both hand tools and power equipment necessary to meat cutting. The course includes the industry-standard breakdown and packaging of Beef. | ||||
| FDMG-1128 | Meat Cutting Practicum 2 | 2 | ||
| This course provides hands-on training in the identification and processing of primal, sub primal and fabricated cuts of Pork, Veal and Poultry. The course includes the industry-standard breakdown and packaging of Pork, Veal and Poultry. | ||||
| FDMG-1129 | Meat Cookery | 2 | ||
| The student will be instructed on all the fundamental cooking methods, terms, and basic preparation of meat. It is an opportunity to learn the proper preparation methods for specific cuts of meat in a professional setting and to be familiar enough with them to inform customers about safe and flavourful cooking methods. | ||||
| FDMG-1130 | Retail Meat Operations 1 | 2 | ||
| Students will operate a retail meat counter that is in compliance with government legislation. The course will provide an opportunity for the student to manage meat and value-added products via marketing, merchandising. packaging and labeling, with a strong focus on customer service skills. | ||||
Tuition Summary
London - Downtown
[1] Total program costs are approximate and subject to change. They do not include additional fees such as the health and dental plan, bus pass, or general expenses. Learn more about ancillary and additional fees.