A cut above the rest: Butchery program offered at Fanshawe College
It is a career that you wouldn't think to look for in post-secondary institutions, but Fanshawe College is the only school in Ontario to offer a professional butchery techniques program, which it first introduced four years ago.
“There's lots of people out there that are looking for careers that are good, viable careers, and butcher is one of those careers,” said program coordinator Troy Spicer, who added It is an under utilized profession with multiple avenues upon graduation of the one year program.
“Students finish the program and they get multiple offers for employment at once completing the program because there's so many opportunities,” he said.
Simon Plesko graduated in April, and was hired immediately at BJ’s County Market in Delaware, Ont., where he came to the career as a mature student.
“I was working in finance for several years, and it just wasn't really something that I wanted to do, per se. So I was just really looking for something that would really excite me,” he said.
Not only do students learn about the different cuts of meat on different animals but there is also a marketing component to the course that includes selling the product used in classes at their downtown campus location.
“The students take a marketing course in the program, learn all about marketing the product. So…we have our email list, we [have a] Shopify site so we reach out to customers that way and promotion through our social media here within the school tourism, hospitality, culinary arts,” said Spicer.
The business approach added to learning cutting techniques was a big selling point of the program for Evain Desroches.
“I would be interested in starting my own business, eventually being able to do regular cattle, chickens and, pigs, things like that on a regular basis. And then how about hunters in my area, that during the seasons I'd be able to help them get their stuff done as well,” said Desroches.
Enrollment continues to grow for the program which is now offering both September and January start days to accommodate the increase interest.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump confronts repeated boos during raucous Libertarian convention speech
Donald Trump was booed repeatedly while addressing Saturday night’s Libertarian Party National Convention.
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
Family of toddler found dead at small-town Ont. daycare no closer to answers after year of investigation
A year has passed since two-year-old Vienna Irwin was found on the property of a home-based daycare in small-town Ontario, but her family says they are no closer to answers of what happened that day.
Grayson Murray, two-time PGA Tour winner, dead at 30
Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.
Humboldt Broncos crash victims and families react to decision to deport truck driver
The family of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 says they are 'thankful' for a decision by a Calgary immigration board to deport the driver of the truck involved.
Fatal plane crash reported near Squamish, B.C.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has confirmed it is working with local Mounties and the BC Coroners Service after a plane crash near Squamish, B.C. Friday night.
'God forgives but we don’t': Loud outburst from stabbing victim’s family during sentencing hearing
An emotional outburst in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday disrupted the sentencing hearing of a woman who pleaded guilty for her part in the death of 29-year-old Mohammed Abdallah.
Three dead after vehicle plunged down a 100-foot embankment in Shediac, N.B.
Three people have died after a vehicle veered off the road in Shediac N.B., Friday morning.
Appeal denied for Edmonton soldier accused of trying to kill her 3 children
An Edmonton woman found guilty of trying to kill her three children has been denied an appeal.