UK: First Halal School of Excellence for Halal Butchers

With 3500 Independent Halal Butchers in the UK, Janan Meat in conjunction with NPD Services Ltd, are to open the first dedicated school of excellence for Halal Butchery & Abattoir training. The newly Built training complex, based in the West Midlands will be the first to offer, practical Key skills training for Abattoir workers & Butchers, and will offer Animal Welfare, Food Hygiene, Health and Safety, and HACCP training courses.

The site already boasts, 10 CCTV cameras in the lairage and at the point of slaughter, offering the trainee the ideal environment for on the job training, with instant playback for the trainee to be appraised.

The training centre is located next to an Abattoir & Cutting Plant offering the trainees the opportunity to learn their skills in a real working environment. Janan Meat  MD Naved Syed highlighted the worrying skill shortage in the halal meat industry, and sees the investment in the Halal School of Excellence as the platform required to help and encourage, the Halal industry to invest in their workforce to meet the growing demand for Assured Halal Meat.

Benefits to company

Improve efficiency

Avoid future skills shortages

Create a safer working environment

Boost staff morale

Benefits to individual

Maximise potential

Gain a nationally recognised qualification

Enhance skills and knowledge

Become more productive and motivated

To address the skills shortage, Janan meat have employed NPD services to work together in training the future workforce whilst ensuring that a broader pool of talent, particularly the young unemployed Muslim, are recruited into Halal Butchery & Abattoirs.  While Muslim butchery is not crippled by these skill problems, skill gaps and skill shortage are posing a major threat to the halal industry’s performance and future survival.

This training may include a Food Hygiene Certificate, if it is not already held, or a short Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) course. The HACCP system covers food safety to the standard of new EU regulations.

  • buying, ordering and controlling stock
  • receiving deliveries and checking their content and hygiene
  • moving meat stock to cold storage areas
  • preparing product displays
  • cutting, boning and trimming meat
  • serving customers at the counter
  • advising customers on how to prepare and cook meat.

However, all trainee butchers will be involved in performing several of the following tasks:

  • Sourcing and buying stock (meat, poultry, and meat products)
  • Taking delivery and/or collecting stock and checking temperature.
  • Storing meat appropriately (eg. hanging meat, cold storage at correct temperature)
  • Preparing  skinning, and deboning
  • Preparing and weighing meat for customers (including cutting, boning, slicing, and trimming)
  • Using machinery to prepare meat
  • Serving customers over the counter and/or delivering meat to customers
  • Offering advice on suitable halal meats, cuts, and preparation/cooking techniques

Trainee butchers will also be required to adhere to stringent hygiene regulations and to undertake general cleaning tasks in the meat preparation and serving areas.