Apprentice of the Year

Tamika Banks 

Details of shop currently working at:

Name: Malone’s Butchery
Address: Gateway Shopping Centre, Shop 4, 1 Roystonea Ave, Yarrawonga NT 0830
Number of years an apprentice: 2 years and 9 months

How they first started – got into the trade

Although butchery runs in my family, I started my journey as a counter-hand in a Darwin butcher shop while my dad and I were travelling Australia and were only planning to stay a short while. I quickly fell in love with the trade and my Dad said to me “If you get an Apprenticeship, that’s it, we will stay in Darwin.” With that, I moved onto pet food/freezer responsibilities before beginning my apprenticeship at another Darwin butcher shop and have never looked back.

Why they entered the State AOTY competition

I was excited to expand my knowledge and experience in the trade. I also looked forward to challenging myself and seeing what I could implement well and what I needed to practice.

What being a finalist in the National competition means to them and what they hope to get out of it

I feel honoured to not only represent my workplace but also my state. I hope to enjoy the next challenge ahead and look forward to discussing the trade with the top apprentice butchers from each state. I know whatever the outcome, it will be an amazing experience and I will come away from the competition knowing more than I did before.

Where they see themselves in 5-10 years time/Goals/Ambitions

I hope to have a wide range of knowledge across all aspects of the trade and be able to pass that information onto the next generation of apprentices. Whether that be as a Lecturer, Manager or the Owner of my own shop one day. I refuse to be “just a butcher.”

Best thing about being a butcher

Continuously learning new things as well as new ways of doing things.

Best thing about going to work each day

I love going to work every day and learning something new. Although the bone structure doesn’t differ much on most animals, there is always something new and interesting that can be taught.

Influencers/Role Models/Mentors

I don’t just look up to one person. Every boss, manager, colleague and both of my university mentors have all influenced me in some way and made me the butcher I am today.

Best piece of advice they have been given

As a female apprentice who has struggled with being treated equally, the best advice I have been given is, “Work so hard that they have no reason to treat you differently.” – Rodney Sims

Best piece of advice they would offer to someone interested in becoming an apprentice butcher

Take every experience as an opportunity to learn. Every butcher will have a different way of teaching you something – that does not mean they are wrong. There is never just one way to implement a task. So, find out which method works for you.

Ryan Taylor

Details of shop currently working at:

Name: Thomas Farms
Address: Attention Thomas Farms, 156 Churchill Road North CAVAN, SOUTH AUSTRALIA 5094
Number of years an apprentice: 3 years

How they first started – got into the trade

Was always interested in butchery and when the opportunity came up to work with my brother at Castle Plaza, I couldn’t turn it down.

Why they entered the State AOTY competition

I entered last year and thought I had a decent grasp on what was expected from the judges. I had always been told 3rd years were the only ones that won the competition, so I wanted to try and beat the stigma and win as a second year.

What being a finalist in the National competition means to them and what they hope to get out of it

I’m very proud of winning the state competition. I’ve always strived to exceed in every task I do and was overjoyed to have it noticed at that level and push through to the competition in Tassie. As for what I hope to get out of this, I’m hoping to get myself out there more and become more well known in my trade. I want to push above and beyond what people would normally expect of an apprentice and become someone in my community that is known for the work I can accomplish.

Where they see themselves in 5-10 years time/Goals/Ambitions

My 5-year goal has already begun. I have already been in a leadership role at my workplace since I was a second year and will be stepping up more once I am signed off. Beyond that, I have already expressed interest to my boss that I want to continue to be trained up and hopefully take over for them in years to come.

Best thing about being a butcher

The best thing about being a butcher would have to be enjoying the humour of my fellow workers, and just the joy of what I do – knowing I am responsible for making something beautiful for people to eat at family gatherings and events, making those special moments with friends and family that much better and giving people not only what they are asking for, but making sure they’re getting the best experience and product I can.

Best thing about going to work each day

My favourite part about my day-to-day work is the connections and how close the workplace is. It’s a very supportive group of people – both leadership and fellow staff help push you in the right direction.

Influencers/Role Models/Mentors

In the short two and half years I have been an apprentice, I have had the opportunity to work with many amazing butchers and knife hands, but out of all of them I have had 4 people that have stood out and helped me the most.

Starting with one of my first bosses Joseph Smith – he not only taught me but my brother as well, pushing me to pursue my passions further and always supported me with any silly questions or ideas I had.

Next is my current supervisor, Ryan Summers. From an impressive background of beef breaking and running his own mobile butcher service in Tassie, with his quick witty jokes and drive to not let me become stagnant, he’s always pushing me and was the one who first noticed and started pushing me to a leadership role.

Maik Boaden would be the next person I look up to. Supporting and continuing to help me grow in the company, he’s always been patient and willing to get me to where I would like to be in the future.

Lastly, I couldn’t forget about the great Shane O’Dea. Dealing with questions like “how many times do I steel my knife?” and “what’s this bit called?” for the 1,000th time, he’s been my teacher at TAFE since I started and is a perfect reflection on what I would expect from a well-known butcher. I wish I could learn all the knowledge this man has and be able to pass on to future generations of butchers as I progress.

There are many more people I have been able to learn from, but these are just the 4 that have made the biggest impact on my career this far, helping to push me forward in the right direction.

Best piece of advice they have been given

No job is too small or too hard and never stop striving to learn more. No one ever starts off amazing – thorough days and years of pushing yourself and not giving up on something, is what will make you someone to be remembered.

Best piece of advice they would offer to someone interested in becoming an apprentice butcher

Always do your best and don’t get caught up in comparing yourself to people around you. People learn at different rates and styles – as long as you do your best, people will notice and be happy to help push past any hurdle you may face.

Lewis Lack

Details of shop currently working at:

Name: Uni Plaza Meats, Toowoomba QLD
Address: 462 West St, Kearneys Spring QLD 4350
Number of years an apprentice: 3 years

How they first started – got into the trade

Started as a clean up boy doing afternoons and Saturdays. Through this job, I became really curious about the trade and wanted to go further with it.

Why they entered the State AOTY competition

To try something different, have a go and challenge myself and see how my skills rate.

What being a finalist in the National competition means to them and what they hope to get out of it

To meet other apprentices and employers. I also have a strong desire to compete and win – it gives me pride in what I do everyday and makes me want to be better at what I do.

Where they see themselves in 5-10 years time/Goals/Ambitions

I hope to own my shop one day.

Best thing about being a butcher

Learning skills and teamwork.

Best thing about going to work each day

Making new products and being creative.

Influencers/Role Models/Mentors

Lochlan Waters and Naite Naumann, my employer and supervisor. They give me the freedom to learn and encourage me to go outside the square and challenge myself.

Best piece of advice they have been given

Work hard and set goals.

Best piece of advice they would offer to someone interested in becoming an apprentice butcher

Consistent work, be creative and explore new ideas. Once you have the skills, anything is possible.

Jesse Anderton

Details of shop currently working at:

Name: Fussy Meats, Cockburn WA
Address: 86 Hammond Rd, Cockburn Central WA 6164
Number of years an apprentice: 3 years

How they first started – got into the trade

I first started out cleaning the shop and serving customers after school and on the weekends at Fussy meats. That’s how I fell in love with the art of butchering, watching the butcher’s boning out lamb legs and slicing steaks.  I could see that it was something they were truly passionate about and that is something I was looking for myself. As I graduated high school, I was looking for an apprenticeship as a butcher so Chris offered me the apprenticeship and I gratefully accepted, I just could not wait to get a steak knife in my hand.

Why they entered the State AOTY competition

I entered the competition as Chris and the senior butchers at my shop believed that my butchering skills had really developed and that I had progressed to a level where I had every chance to compete and win the competition. I was not aware of the competition until Chris and the butchers encouraged me to enter.

What being a finalist in the National competition means to them and what they hope to get out of it

Being a finalist means absolutely everything to me as it’s a massive achievement in my career. From being a finalist, I feel it really validates my skills and knowledge within the butchering industry and shows me that hard work and passion can really take you a long way. I feel it shows my commitment to excellence in a profession I deeply care about. This competition serves as a platform to demonstrate my creativity and innovation in butchery techniques, as well as my commitment to quality and sustainability in sourcing meat.

I aim to showcase my ability to produce high quality products that reflect the values of the industry. Ultimately, I hope to walk away from this experience not only with a deeper understanding of my craft but to showcase the skills and knowledge I’ve picked up from the butchers I have worked with over the past three years and gain some recognition from the industry to hopefully expand my career in the future.

Where they see themselves in 5-10 years time/Goals/Ambitions

In 5-10 years, I see myself owning my own butcher shop and producing products I truly love. I hope to run a successful shop just like Fussy Meats. I want to create a shop that values the sustainable side of butchering and support farmers and suppliers who also have the same values. I would like to have my own apprentices and have a good training system within my company to support and guide the next generation, allowing our trade to evolve even more. My goal is to open my shop within 5 years and to have all those systems in place within 10.

Best thing about being a butcher

Being a butcher allows me to explore my creative side. I can create new products every single day and work with new flavour profiles. I play around with new flavour combinations some might find bizarre but are somehow delicious. I also love the knowledge I have gained with food in general. The best part of being a butcher however would honestly be doing the actual job – I love cutting steaks, I love boning chicken, and I love serving customers. I just love it all.

Best thing about going to work each day

The best part about going to work, is being able to go in and know exactly what you are doing and being confident in what you are doing. I love that I feel confident by what I have been taught and can pass that knowledge onto the next generation of apprentices.

Influencers/Role Models/Mentors

I’ve always had an interest in food, even from when I was very young. I would say it starts with my nanna – she worked in the food industry for over 40 years and was the one who got me into cooking and preparing food. We would watch people like Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley and Justine Schofeild and would try to recreate their recipes.

As far as role models go, I look at people who are succeeding in the butchering industry at present – Brett Laws and Ben Tindale are constantly evolving the things we can do with meat.

I also feel extremely lucky to have the mentors I have. We have great senior butchers at my shops, such as Joel Masters and Cam Gorey. I also have my boss Chris Faulds and manager Dan McWaters. They are teaching me a whole other side of butchering, such as how to run a butcher shop. They bring a level of professionalism and knowledge that only experience can give you.

Best piece of advice they have been given

The best piece of advice I’ve received is from my boss Chris. One day he said, “Just breathe.” A butcher shop can be unbelievably busy at times which can become overwhelming. It can cause you to try to do everything at once and make a wrong decision which can be detrimental to the company. So, the advice to “Just breathe” is to remind yourself to calm down and really think about what you are doing. To stop and focus on what is happening around you and in the shop.

Best piece of advice they would offer to someone interested in becoming an apprentice butcher

Listen. When you are an apprentice, you have to listen. People who are trying to teach you have probably been butchering for years and years. You can learn a lot from them just by hearing their stories about past experiences in other shops. Paying attention to everything my mentors shared with me helped develop my skills as a butcher so quickly. It allows you to approach a new challenge with a little knowledge about the task already.

Lochlan Leonard

Details of shop currently working at:

Name: CHOP Butchery
Address: 8/40 Bowman Street
Richmond NSW 2753, AUSTRALIA
Number of years an apprentice: 3 years

How they first started – got into the trade

I had a chat with a mate from High School who had dropped out to become an apprentice butcher. From that chat, I decided to start a work experience period at Hummerstons for six months before being offered an apprenticeship at CHOP Butchery.

Why they entered the State AOTY competition

Entered competition in 23/24 and was keen to come back for another crack in 24/25.

What being a finalist in the National competition means to them and what they hope to get out of it

I suppose it confirms I made the right choice getting into the Butchering industry. I hope to get exposure to my peers in other states, as well as enjoy the challenge in comparing your personal skillset to the other top apprentices in the country.

Where they see themselves in 5-10 years time/Goals/Ambitions

I would like to manage my own shop, and even own it later down the track.

Best thing about being a butcher

The social aspect – I enjoy meeting so many people.

Best thing about going to work each day

Every day brings a different challenge and I love constantly learning new things.

Influencers/Role Models/Mentors

The supervisors in CHOP – In the past 12 months, they’ve put me in positions of responsibility. I’ve had to learn quickly by trial and error, and I’ve also had the opportunity to teach people using knowledge I’ve gained. Being able to pass that down to new staff members is very rewarding. I’m grateful the supervisors have helped guide me and allowed me to grow into this position.

Best piece of advice they have been given

There are a million ways to do things. You don’t always have to do things one way. Take on different aspects of the job and find your own way that suits you.

Best piece of advice they would offer to someone interested in becoming an apprentice butcher

Buy good shoes!!! But seriously, be prepared to make mistakes and always use them as an opportunity to learn as opposed to a failure.

Oscar Campbell

Details of shop currently working at:

Name: Vermeys Quality Meats
Address: 180 Sandy Bay Rd, Sandy Bay TAS 7005
Number of years an apprentice: 1 year

How they first started – got into the trade

I knew Marcus Vermey by going to school with his sons. After doing some casual work for Marcus, he offered me some full time work in the shop.

Why they entered the State AOTY competition

To further develop my skills and to try my hand at competition. I’ve known previous competitors who had some success with it and made it look fun.

What being a finalist in the National competition means to them and what they hope to get out of it

It feels slightly unreal given that it’s my 1st year of my apprenticeship.

Where they see themselves in 5-10 years time/Goals/Ambitions

Unsure really. Hopefully, I’ll help teach the next batch of apprentices the info I’ve been taught.

Best thing about being a butcher

Being able to help people get the quality products that they want, made to their individual liking.

Best thing about going to work each day

Getting to work with a good group of people. 

Influencers/Role Models/Mentors

All the staff in the shop, Marcus, Ryan, Tom, Courtney, Jess, and Mackey. 

Best piece of advice they have been given

A falling knife has no handle.

Best piece of advice they would offer to someone interested in becoming an apprentice butcher

Make sure you find a good team to work with that you’re comfortable with.