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Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers

People classed as Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers use hands or hand tools to perform routine cutting and trimming of meat, poultry, and seafood. The skills rated most useful are active listening, speaking, and monitoring. The job can ask you to use knives, cleavers, meat saws, bandsaws, or other equipment to perform meat cutting and trimming. On the six-type interest model it reads RCI, meaning hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world comes first, followed by orderly work with data, records and clear procedures. Getting in usually takes a few months to a year of learning on the job, a level O*NET calls some preparation. If you want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, keep it on your list. If you need creative work with room for original expression, it may feel thin.

What they do

Use hands or hand tools to perform routine cutting and trimming of meat, poultry, and seafood.

Main tasks

  • Use knives, cleavers, meat saws, bandsaws, or other equipment to perform meat cutting and trimming.
  • Weigh meats and tag containers for weight and contents.
  • Inspect meat products for defects, bruises or blemishes and remove them along with any excess fat.
  • Cut and trim meat to prepare for packing.
  • Separate meats and byproducts into specified containers and seal containers.

Skills

  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Monitoring
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Critical Thinking
  • Time Management

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on active listening and speaking.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCI takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Beef Trimmer
  • Breast Trimmer
  • Chicken Cutter
  • Deboner
  • Fish Processor

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.