What will I be doing?
Value-Added Meat Processors use their skills to create meat products that go above and beyond basic meat cuts. They work with their hands and with machines to create meat products found behind the deli counter and on the shelves of retail establishments large and small. Following stringent food and personal safety guidelines, this job requires the use of many meat processing machines and job duties including but not limited to:
- Loading and operating various equipment including: sausage stuffer, silent cutter, tumbler, injector, slicer, dicer, grinder, mixer, scale, metal detector, tubs, net former, and smokehouses
- Moving heavy tubs and directing smokehouse trucks
- Stuff, hang, and unload sausage products
- Slice, tumble, and prepare jerky for smoking
- Injecting whole muscle meat cuts, and netting hams
What training do I need?
A Retail Meats certificate will help you move up quickly in your career, but you can also get started in the industry just by seeking employment and training in meat processing establishments.
Meat processors are trained to work with basic meat cuts and meat products to createvalue-added meat products for retail and wholesale markets.
What kind of salary and working conditions can I expect?
Depending on your level of experience, and your provincial standards, Value-Added Meat Processers can typically earn up to $50,000 (est.) per year.
Value-Added Meat Processors can expect to work indoors, generally in temperature-controlled conditions ranging from minus two to four degrees Celsius. You’ll be on your feet most of your work day working with meat products and meat processing machines. You’ll also work with sharp instruments such as knives and saws in addition to other meat cutting machines to craft quality value added meat products for a variety of customers. Most Value-Added Meat Processors work in shifts.
What are my career options?
Value-Added Meat Processors are typically quite mobile within the meat processing sector, working different jobs within a variety of value-added departments. Having value-added processing experience will equip workers to move into industrial and retail meat cutting roles and can also benefit individuals looking to get involved with the distribution, inspection, value-added and management end of the meat processing sector.
Who’s hiring right now?
Related Careers (w/links)
Entrepreneur
Retail Meat Cutter
Sausage Maker
Meat Inspector
