This position is a new competitive apprenticeship that offers valuable learning opportunities including paid on-the-job training and a company-funded Butchery & Meat Processing Certificate, ServSafe Certificate, and HACCP certification. Two positions for the 2023 - 2024 term are available for applicants who are interested in learning more about all aspects of meat production and starting a career with Lake Geneva Country Meats.

Applicants will go through a normal interview process and will be hired as full-time LGCM employees with a Monday - Friday daytime schedule. Applicants will also be sponsored in the Gateway Technical College Intro to Butchery & Meat Processing Certificate program, space and qualifications permitting. Keep reading to learn more about this opportunity.

About Lake Geneva Country Meats

Lake Geneva Country Meats is a family-owned and operated company that has been in business since 1965. We combine a USDA-inspected sausage kitchen and custom processing facility with a gourmet retail store. We strive to provide a workplace that treats our team members as human beings first by allowing for flexibility and understanding that life happens. We value people who are passionate about food, want to provide exceptional experiences for our customers, and are committed to working towards always improving.

Job summary

This position is an entry-level position designed to train someone who would like to learn more about the crafts of butchery and sausage making but does not have experience in the field. This position will be exposed to various entry-level whole-animal butchery and sausage-making tasks.

Applicants for this position will be enrolled in Gateway Technical College’s Intro to Butchery & Meat Processing Certificate program for Fall of 2023 and Spring of 2024. Lake Geneva Country Meats will pay for tuition if the applicant and no reimbursement will be required if the applicant continues working for LGCM for a year after the completion of the class.

After completion of the class and a successful year of learning on the job, this position will be evaluated, and a more permanent role will be assigned to the employee based on the employee’s strengths and desires.

Essential functions

• Trim and grind meat for ground meat products, and sausage products.
• Mix meat, seasonings, and other ingredients for sausage production.
• Operate sausage production machineries such as a bacon tumbler, ham injector, link clipper, bowl chopper, sausage stuffer, and more.
• Operate smokehouse for cooked, fermented, and smoked products.
• Butcher retail cuts of meat from primal cuts.
• Assist with packaging tasks such as paper-wrapping meat, running a thermoform fill-seal package, operating a vacuum sealer, and more as necessary.
• Label products properly using a deli scale and a computer-controlled industrial label printer as necessary.
• Assist in receiving and stocking meat and other supplies.
• Follow USDA food safety guidelines.
• Complete end-of-day an on-going sanitation tasks.

Competencies

• A desire to produce exceptional meat products for customers to enjoy.
• A team-oriented work ethic and flexibility to switch tasks as needed to get each day’s tasks completed.
• Excellent attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
• A commitment to learning and improving your craft on a daily basis.

Work environment

This position works in various environments, including our processing floor, sausage production area, and cooked product packaging room. These rooms are kept at cool temperatures. Trips in an out of freezers and coolers are necessary. Clean-up tasks will be wet as large amounts of water are used to clean.

Physical requirements

This position must be able to:

• Fluently communicate verbally and in writing in the English language.
• Safely work with sharp objects such as knives and scissors and operate potentially hazardous machinery.
• Lift up to 80 pounds.
• Stand for an 8 hour shift: 2 - fifteen minute rest breaks and 1 - thirty minute meal break are provided during a shift.
• Operate in a cool temperature production-room environment, as well as operate in coolers kept in the 40º range, to freezers that are kept in the 0º range.

Education and experience

• This is an entry-level position with no experience required.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, based on experience.
• Health insurance for full time employees.
• SIMPLE IRA retirement plan with company match.
• Paid time off for all full time employees.
• Paid Holidays.
• Generous employee discount.
• Life insurance.
• Supplemental insurance available as payroll deduction.

Other duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.