Lave&Wenger: Meatcutters

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Summary: One of the more depressing forms of apprenticeship (due to the attitudes of seasoned butchers), meat cutters train as apprentices and study for six months to receive an official meat cutting certificate. The meat cutting industry has evolved from community-oriented, retail shops where butchers had a chance to use their meat cutting skills more. Today, butchers are more likely to work in large supermarkets where they work in isolation and are encouraged to be as efficient and moreover, profit-driven as possible. Apprentices do not often learn or practice actual meat cutting but start in the meat cutting industry doing remedial tasks such as wrapping meat. Other issues are that seasoned (no pun intended) butchers often work in isolation or in a place where apprentices can not learn from them. In addition, the seasoned butchers may stay in their positions forever, keeping apprentices to their remedial jobs.

Trajectory: Meat cutters receive a certificate after six months of trade school and on the job training. They pick up meat cutting skills and become journeymen butchers after a couple of years. Today, there is less opportunity for meat cutters to actually practice their skills or move up in their trade because butchers stay in their positions forever and moreover, the era of super-market science of production, efficiency and profit offer less opportunity.

Community of Practice: Meat cutters are butchers and mainly male.