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Butchers and Smallgoods Makers

Butchers and Smallgoods Makers select, cut, trim, prepare and arrange meat for sale and supply, operate meat and smallgoods processing machines, and manage the processes in the production of smallgoods.

Hospitality & tourismANZSCO 3512
$1,550/wkMedian full-time pay
14kPeople employed
+10% ▲Growth to 2035
74%Work full time
40Median age
Source: ABS · JSA, 2025-26ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 3512.More about our sources: How we check our facts

What they do

The main tasks of this occupation, from the national occupation standard.

preparing meat for sale by removing bones, trimming fat and cutting, mincing and grinding meat to shape and size for display or as orderedpreparing crumbed cuts of meat, and marinating, seasoning and curing special cutsselecting and preparing meat to produce smallgoodsoperating machines to grind, mix, mince and tenderise meatmaking seasonings and pickles by mixing spices, salt and other ingredientsoperating sausage filling machines, smoking chambers, and cooking kettles and vats
Source: JSA occupation profileTask list from the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile for ANZSCO 3512 (ANZSCO task statements).More about our sources: How we check our facts

The outlook

Room for 1,400 more people in butchers and smallgoods makers by 2035 ▲

The field grew 0.5% in the year to February 2026, adding about 100 workers. Most of the jobs are in NSW and QLD, with VIC third.

Source: JSA · ABS, 2025-26ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 3512.More about our sources: How we check our facts
14.5k2025
15.2k2030 PROJ.
15.9k2035 PROJ.

Getting in

Most butchers and smallgoods makers came through a certificate or diploma. 59% did.

A university degree is rare here: 3% hold one. The trade qualification is the standard way in. These are the nationally recognised courses mapped to this occupation, with the number of registered training providers that offer each one.

Source: JSA · training.gov.auEducation split: JSA (Jobs and Skills Australia) occupation profile, using ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Census data, ANZSCO 3512. Qualification mapping and provider counts: training.gov.au, the national register of vocational education, October 2026. Listed providers are current registered training providers (private providers and TAFE institutes).More about our sources: How we check our facts

Nationally recognised training · most offered first

AMP30216Certificate III

Certificate III in Meat Processing (Food Services)

Australian Meat Processing Training Package.

See 12 providers
AMP30815Certificate III

Certificate III in Meat Processing (Retail Butcher)

Australian Meat Processing Training Package.

See 12 providers
AMP31016Certificate III

Certificate III in Meat Processing (Smallgoods - Manufacture)

Australian Meat Processing Training Package.

See 6 providers
See all 4 mapped courses
AMP30216Certificate III in Meat Processing (Food Services) · 12 providers
AMP30815Certificate III in Meat Processing (Retail Butcher) · 12 providers
AMP31016Certificate III in Meat Processing (Smallgoods - Manufacture) · 6 providers
AMP30916Certificate III in Meat Processing (Smallgoods - General) · 4 providers

Providers are shown in A-Z order on each course page. A listing is not a recommendation.

Jobs open right now

14k Australians do this work. See who is hiring this month.

Search job ads by state

Each link opens seek.com.au in a new tab, showing ads posted in the last month. SEEK is a job site; we link there because that is where most Australian jobs are advertised. We have no commercial relationship with SEEK.

Source: ABS · JSA, 2025-26State chart shows people employed, not current job ads. ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 3512.More about our sources: How we check our facts

People employed by state, 2025-26

NSW5.5k
QLD4.4k
VIC3k
WA2.1k
SA1.1k
TAS0.6k
ACT0.2k
NT0.2k

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