Join Cranstons Craft Butchery Apprenticeship Scheme

At Cranstons, butchery is at the heart of our business. Founded in 1914, we began as a humble local butcher delivering meat by van to villages around Kirkoswald. Today, we have grown into a well-loved local food retailer, with shops in Hexham, Brampton, Carlisle and Penrith.

Our CRAFT (Cranstons Retail and Factory Trained) Apprenticeship is a unique, hands-on 3 year journey designed to help passionate individuals become confident, highly skilled butchers. This is more than a standard apprenticeship as it offers full insight into the butchery trade.

You will rotate through our seven butchery sites, located across Cumbria and Hexham, gaining valuable experience in different settings, serving a variety of customers and understanding every part of the process from whole carcass breakdown in our Central Production Unit to serving loyal customers in our award winning Food Halls.

Whether you're just starting out and looking to earn while you learn or considering a career change, this is your opportunity to join a business that genuinely values quality, tradition and its people.

We are excited to be launching this new CRAFT Apprenticeship Scheme and are looking for successful applicants to start in early Autumn!

About the Role:

We are looking for full time applicants who can work 5 days a week including weekends
Each of our butchery sites has different start and finish times but most shifts fall between 6am and 6pm
You should be able to organise transport between our sites, most are well connected via Public Transport networks
You will be enrolled with our external apprenticeship provider and will receive a nationally recognised qualification
You will rotate between customer focused butchery and process butchery with the opportunity to choose a specialist pathway in your final year

What You’ll Do:

Over the 3 year programme you will complete structured placement blocks across our full butchery operation.

Retail Butchery Foundations

Learn basic knife skills and gain a food hygiene qualification
Understand stock rotation and safe working practices
Train in customer service including setting up counters, preparing customer cuts and engaging with shoppers
Get an overview of our company history and future business plans
Enrol onto the apprenticeship programme

Process Butchery Foundation

Learn large scale meat processing and carcass breakdown
Use specialist equipment and deepen your understanding of safe working procedures
Explore value-added products such as sausages and burgers
Gain insight into reducing waste and improving business cost efficiencies

Specialist Skills

Advance your knife techniques, cutting, deboning and other advanced butchery skills
Explore dry aging, curing and game preparation, expanding your knowledge in specialist areas of interest
Develop business awareness through workshops and Manager catch ups
Gain exposure to stock systems, ordering and merchandising
Complete a final end point assessment with our external training provider

Personal Pathway

Choose your future butchery path in either retail or process
Act as a mentor to new apprentices entering the CRAFT programme
Contribute to projects focused on efficiency, wellbeing and product development aligned with your interests
Take on increasing responsibility with the opportunity to progress into a leadership position

What You’ll Need:

A genuine interest in food and butchery
A willingness to learn new skills and complete assignments and practical research in a timely manner
The ability to engage positively with team members and customers
Commitment to completing the full 3 year CRAFT programme
Ideally access to own vehicle or ability to arrange transport between our Shops and Foodhalls

What We Offer:

£12.36 per hour with a post apprenticeship pay scale that reflects your qualification, experience and responsibilities
An award winning training programme working across a range of butchery environments
A clear pathway for growth and long term career development
25% employee discount across all our Food Halls and Cafés
A workplace pension scheme to help you save for the future
Access to our cycle to work scheme

Next Steps:

Apply today with a copy of your CV and Covering Letter explaining what motivates you to take part in our Craft Apprenticeship
If shortlisted you will be invited for a first round interview at the end of August, progressing onto a small trial shift ready for an Autumn Start Date.
Any further questions about this scheme, recruitment process or more please email recruitment@cranstons.net or call Poppy on 01768 868 680 ext 235

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent, Apprenticeship

Pay: From £12.36 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

Additional leave
Cycle to work scheme
Employee mentoring programme
On-site parking
Sick pay

Schedule:

Monday to Friday
Weekend availability

Ability to commute/relocate:

Penrith CA11 7EH: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)

Work Location: In person

Reference ID: CRAFT01
Expected start date: 08/09/2025

CRANSTONS LTD

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Craft Butchery Apprentice