Butcher Apprenticeship Program

2026 Dates

The Butcher Apprenticeship will be held from July 13-August 7, 2026.

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Work your way into a rewarding career in meat processing with an innovative new program that matches career seekers with training and paid work experience while you learn.

The Butcher School Apprenticeship Program opens educational opportunities for anyone to work at one of Pennsylvania’s meat processing facilities! Apprentices in the program will study at the University Park campus for five weeks to learn the basics of butchering and are then hired into full-time positions at meat processing facilities in Pennsylvania (or beyond if desired). These positions offer competitive wages while the apprentice learns the basics of meat processing to support on-the-job training and set trainees up for lifetime career growth. Whether you are just starting your career post-high school or are looking for a career change in your professional life, this program supports your interests in learning about meat processing through fast-paced, experiential learning.

As an apprentice, you commit to 216 hours of related technical instruction (RTI) from Penn State Extension faculty and educators and 3,000 hours of on-the-job training (OJT), where a co-worker and assigned mentor directs learning as you earn on the job. In total, the program will take apprentices about two years to complete.

Related technical training will support your daily butcher duties, which may include harvesting, weighing, cutting, and packaging meat. Explicit duties will be specific to your employer. Often, these jobs also require some recordkeeping, customer service, heavy lifting, and more. Skills learned on the job in meat processing and the RTI on the science and purpose behind the harvesting techniques are the basis for expanding your career in meat processing.

Meat Processing Skills

• Harvest livestock (cattle, hogs, and sheep)
• Worker safety
• Animal welfare/animal handling systems
• The science of meat
• Food safety
• Curing and marination
• Thermal processing and smoking
• Packaging
• Poultry harvest and processing
• Processing plant tours

Entrepreneurship Skills

• Product pricing
• Profitability and feasibility of small processors
• Social media marketing
• Recordkeeping
• Business management

Please check back to this page for announcements on the next class. Free to apply. To learn more, email djm428@psu.edu

Butcher Apprenticeship Program FAQs

Q1. How will the learning be structured?

Students will receive in-classroom instruction as well as hands-on learning opportunities in the Meats Lab. Students will harvest live animals, cut fresh beef, pork, and lamb, as well as tour operating meat processing facilities. Students will be required to attend the first session on campus (July 13-August 7, 2026) and then will also be required to attend further 1 or 2-day short course sessions throughout the 2-year apprenticeship. Before starting the program, the student must find a meat processor to host them for their apprenticeship, which lasts 3,000 hours.

Q2. How long is the program?

Session 1 is 3 weeks at University Park, PA. Students must also complete 3000 hours of on the job training with an approved meat processor.

Q3. What are the dates of the apprenticeship?

Session 1 of the program runs from July 13 to August 7, 2026. To pursue the apprenticeship journeyworker certification, the student must complete 3,000 hours of training with an eligible employer.

Q4. How many students will be selected?

Up to 20-30 students will be selected from the applicant pool.

Q5. Is there a fee?

There is a cost associated with the program, but Penn State is committed to helping attendees find funding to cover these costs. Apprentices must work with their local Workforce Development Board to receive funding for the training. There is no cost to the student.

Q6. Are there any educational requirements?

Students must have a high school diploma or GED.

Q7. What is the minimum age to participate?

Students must be at least 18 years old.

Q8. What is the location of this training?

Students will be on Penn State University Park Campus for session 1 of the program and several short courses throughout the 2-year apprenticeship. After that, students will work with a meat processor to finish the hands-on component of the training. Students will need to find a meat processor to complete the apprenticeship. Assistance will be given if needed.

Q9. Is there housing available?

Unfortunately, housing is not provided as part of the program. You will be required to find your own accommodations for all phases of the apprenticeship.

Q10. Do you have an overview of the curriculum?

Below are the targeted concepts used to build the 144 classroom theory hours for the registered butcher apprenticeship at Penn State

Orientation "boot camp"

• PSU Meat Lab Good Manufacturing Practices
• Any University online training completed prior to starting

Worker safety

• Knife Safety
  • Knife sharpening/honing
• PPE
• OSHA Regulation

Animal Welfare/Animal Handling Systems

• Loading and Unloading of cattle and hogs
• Holding pens, chutes, and alleyways
• Stunning of Livestock (Mechanical, Electrical, CO2)

The Science of Meat and Why it Matters

• Muscle Structure
• Conversion of Muscle to Meat
• Meat Composition & Chemistry
• Comparative Anatomy (beef, pork, and lamb)
  • Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications
  • Fanciful names and cuts of meat
  • Carcass Grading for yield and quality
  • Carcass Fabrication

Food safety

• Sanitation - Pre-requisite support programs (SOP's, SSOP's, etc.)
• Employee Hygiene
• ServSafe® Manager training & certification
• Basic HACCP for Meat & Poultry Processors certification
• Preventive Controls for Human Foods certification
• Food Defense
• USDA-FSIS & FDA Regulation

The Costs of Doing Business

• Cost of goods sold
• Pricing of products and services - pricing exercise
• Profitability and Feasibility of Small Processors

Curing & Marination

• Dry curing
• Brining & Injecting
• Tumbling & Massaging
• Sausage Manufacturing
  • Fresh Sausages
  • Cooked Sausages
  • Emulsified Sausages
• Thermal Processing & Smoking
  • Dry Bulb vs. Wet Bulb
  • Building a Smoke Schedule
• Packaging
  • Materials
  • Equipment
• Poultry Harvest & Processing
• Plant Tours (various sizes and types of processing)
• Start External Apprenticeship (3,000 hours of on-the-job training hours)
  • Plant Project - Each student will work with their employer to identify a need for that business.This business need may be related to a host of topics including food safety/HACCP/USDA inspection, product costing and profitability, marketing and social media, product development, cost savings and lean manufacturing, or any combination of these and other topics not listed. After year one, each student will work with their new employer and team to identify a need and submit to Penn State a proposal of the need and how they intend to solve the identified need. Plant projects may be submitted at any point between 12-18 months of employment. All project data collection must be started no later than 18 months of employment. Results of the project must be submitted to Penn State Extension before completing 3000 hours of employment Complete apprenticeship after logging 3000 hours of work and finish plant project.

Q11. Who can I contact if I have a question not answered here?

Please contact Dana Ollendyke at djm428@psu.edu

Q12. How do I apply?

Please visit the Butcher Apprenticeship Program page and fill out the form to apply.

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Prospective Apprentices

Prospective Farm Employers