How to become a Meat Processing Worker

Meat Processing Worker

Meat processing workers perform a wide range of tasks, including handling, slaughtering and processing livestock, operating processing and rendering equipment, dispatching products, and keeping records.

Personal requirements for a Meat Processing Worker

  • Enjoy practical and manual activities
  • Good hand-eye coordination
  • Able to cope with the physical demands of the job
  • Able to work safely

Education & Training for a Meat Processing Worker

You can work as a meat processing worker without formal qualifications. You will probably get some informal training on the job. You can also become a meat processing worker through a traineeship. Entry requirements may vary, but employers generally require Year 10.


Additional information

Once you are employed, you may be able to develop, and have recognised, additional skills under the Australian Meat Industry Training Package that will expand your career opportunities within this industry.

Duties & Tasks of a Meat Processing Worker

Meat processing workers:

  • Move and manage animals before they are slaughtered
  • Stun animals using an electrical device or cartridge gun
  • Bleed animals while they are unconscious
  • Remove hides/pelts and internal organs
  • Use saws to split the carcasses
  • Trim carcasses
  • Move carcasses to chillers and freezers
  • Break carcasses by boning and slicing meat cuts for sale and further processing
  • Pack the boned and sliced meat into cartons
  • Process hides and pelts
  • Process by-products
  • Load meat products into trucks.

Tasks

  • Processes meat, offal and tripe.
  • Moves carcasses to chillers and freezers.
  • Packs boned and sliced meat into cartons.
  • Cleans and sanitises equipment and work areas.
  • Loads meat products into trucks.

Working conditions for a Meat Processing Worker

Meat processing workers stand for most of the day. Hands and clothes may become soiled with blood or fat, but health regulations ensure that meat processing workers work under hygienic conditions. The areas in which they work are usually large, well lit and ventilated, and kept very clean. Employers usually provide a laundry service for uniforms.


Employment Opportunities for a Meat Processing Worker

Employment opportunities may be seasonal due to fluctuations in livestock production.


Specializations

Boner and Slicer - breaks down carcasses by removing bones and slicing meat so that it is ready for sale or further processing. par - Renderer - operates processing plants to produce meat meal, fertilisers and tallow. par - Slaughterer - works in the area where the animals are killed and the hides and internal organs are removed.


Boner and Slicer

A boner and slicer breaks down carcasses by removing bones and slicing meat so that it is ready for sale or further processing.

Renderer

A renderer operates processing plants to produce meat meal, fertilisers and tallow.

Slaughterer

A slaughterer works in the area where the animals are killed and the hides and internal organs are removed.

Meat Processing Worker

Meat processing workers perform a wide range of tasks, including handling, slaughtering and processing livestock, operating processing and rendering equipment, dispatching products, and keeping records.

Boner and Slicer

A boner and slicer breaks down carcasses by removing bones and slicing meat so that it is ready for sale or further processing.

Renderer

A renderer operates processing plants to produce meat meal, fertilisers and tallow.

Slaughterer

A slaughterer works in the area where the animals are killed and the hides and internal organs are removed.

  • Average age
    Average age
    35 years
  • Future Growth
    Future Growth
    Stable
  • Gender Share
    Gender Share
    23% female
  • Average full-time
    Average full-time
    41 hours
  • Weekly Pay
    Weekly Pay
    $1,028
  • Skill level rating
    Skill level rating
    Entry level
  • Unemployment
    Unemployment
    Average unemployment
  • Full-Time Share
    Full-Time Share
    76% Full-Time
  • Employment Size
    Employment Size
    9,300 workers
  • Employment Size
    Employment by state
    ACT: 0.0%
    NSW: 23.5%
    NT: 0.3%
    QLD: 30.6%
    SA: 8.9%
    TAS: 2.2%
    VIC: 27.1%
    WA: 7.3%
  • Employment Size
    Age brackets
    15-19: 5.1%
    20-24: 15.9%
    25-34: 27.7%
    35-44: 20.5%
    45-54: 18.2%
    55-59: 7%
    60-64: 3.6%
    65 and Over: 1.9%
  • Employment Size
    Education level
    Advanced Diploma/Diploma: 3.9%
    Bachelor degree: 4.8%
    Certificate III/IV: 17.5%
    Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate: 1.4%
    Year 10 and below: 35.2%
    Year 11: 9%
    Year 12: 28.2%
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