TasTAFE
Apprentice butchers a cut above the rest
“Butchery is a lot more technical than people think, there is a lot of technique involved, and I like learning and understanding the different processes, how to do it – and then working to refine those skills.” TasTAFE Butchery Teacher Darren Scott said Tasmanian butchery apprentices ‘hold their own’ anywhere in Australia and are excited to enter competitions. “Our apprentices just love the trade and want to compete. We’ve got men and women who just want to be butchers and nothing else and want to compete nationally and internationally.” Darren said the butchery trade in Tasmania is ‘doing very well’ with TasTAFE training around 70 learners a year. AMIC State Manager Victoria and Tasmania Andrew Meli agreed.
The butchery trade in Tasmania isn’t just surviving— it’s thriving, thanks to a solid training foundation by TasTAFE and apprentices working under the guidance of seasoned professionals in traditional butcher shops. A competition to showcase the skills and knowledge of butchery apprentices was held in Hobart in September, offering five competitors the opportunity to demonstrate their ability in knife control and working to competition specifications. The 2025 Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC) Tasmanian Butchery Apprentice of the Year Competition put competitors through their paces with second year apprentice Oscar Campbell taking out the Tasmanian Butchery Apprentice of the Year Award. “I was up against some terrific talent – all the apprentices were of a very high standard, so I wasn’t sure how I was going to go,” said Oscar.
SECOND YEAR APPRENTICE BUTCHER OSCAR CAMPBELL TOOK OUT FIRST PLACE AT THE 2025 AMIC TASMANIAN APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR COMPETITION
OSCAR FINDS IT SATISFYING TO PRODUCE PRODUCTS REQUESTED BY CUSTOMERS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEIR EYES
“I get a lot of pleasure watching the apprentices work and seeing what they can produce – and the level of skill I see in the competition gets better every year. “Tasmania’s butchers are doing an amazing job training and mentoring the apprentices - they are also helping to future-proof the industry, and I commend their commitment to our learners,” Andrew said. Oscar will represent Tasmania at the AMIC National Final in Melbourne in 2026.
Despite growing up on a farm in Bothwell and being familiar with stock and the meat industry, Oscar hadn’t considered a trade in butchery until he was offered a part-time job at Vermey’s Quality Meats – Oscar’s current employer. “I started in a part-time delivery role, then spent a few hours a week in the store. After experiencing the super-high talent of the butchers here, I started my apprenticeship.
49 Tasmanian Hospitality Review October/November Edition
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