I had a young butcher try out for work today, fully qualified by one of the big two retailers. As far as they and his RTO (registered training officer) are concerned, he is a qualified butcher.

So I asked him to denude some knuckles, a simple task yet he hesitated saying he had not done this for some time but he eventually picked it up.

I then asked him to bone out a couple of pork forequarters. He didn't know how to or even where to start. He then told me his work history.

He started almost six years ago and they still broke lambs/pigs so he has some memory, however, into his second year they removed band saws from their meat rooms so he never used one again.

So what I want to know is how the heck can this kid (he is 27 BTW) get a real job as nobody can pay him tradesman's wages, yet by all accounts he is entitled to them. He did offer to work for reduced wages which was to his credit however I advised that this would be illegal under the current IR laws.

Also, how can these retailers get away with employing these people as apprentices, paying them reduced wages, and collecting subsidies along the way without actually training them.

Then of course there is the RTO who has been paid to monitor and record his progress and eventually sign him off.

Talk about screw with peoples minds.

Isn't there a comprehensive list of skills a butcher should have?

The writing was on the wall as soon as they started cutting back on funding TAFE.

Our delusion politicians believe that some how "competition" will increase and improve outcomes, when all it has done, is made a few individuals extremely wealthy.

//Also, how can these retailers get away with employing these people as apprentices, paying them reduced wages, and collecting subsidies along the way without actually training them.//

It's not unusual - as an apprentice chef I worked for employers who understood the nature of apprenticeship and gave me training. But I also worked (very briefly) for employers who just used apprentices as cheap labour. It's quite commonplace in kitchens, and I assume it wouldn't be much different in other trades.

There are some large boat building firms who do the same thing.

Their apprentices qualify as boat builders, & they are trained to do nothing but assemble fiberglass boats, using laser cut panels for cabin work, & bolt on mechanical components.

An example of exploitation on behalf of the worker as is said cheap labour. Do your duty as a citizen in informing the Accc or fair work Australia about that person and where he did his time. That is not fair on him or the nation.