Professional Meat Cutting & Merchandising Certificate
You’ll work with beef, bison, pork, lamb, seafood, and poultry and learn how to produce cured, smoked, and processed meat and sausage. You’ll also learn about merchandising and purchasing meat products.
Professional Meat Cutting and Merchandising is 15 weeks in the classroom, immediately followed by a 3-week (90 hours) industry placement. This program has an emphasis on sanitation, safety, and quality control. You will have the opportunity to train in the NAIT Retail Meat Store, and you will benefit from the work experience placement for on-the-job training.
Graduates of the Professional Meat Cutting and Merchandising program find employment in the meat industry or meat processing plants, retail businesses such as supermarkets, speciality sausage shops, delicatessens, and independent meat markets. The principles of professionalism are key, along with respect, responsibility, and accountability in this field.
At NAIT, Professional Meat Cutting and Merchandising classes begin early in the morning, which is reflective of typical work hours in industry. The NAIT Meat Lab environment can often be loud, and requires standing for long periods of time, while using saws, meat grinders and slicers, knives, and many other types of kitchen equipment. Individuals should also be comfortable interacting with the public regarding the customer service aspect of both the program and the industry. Activities in the program and the field involve proficiency in the following: use of basic math skills such as measurement calculation, clear and concise written and verbal communication, and an ability to adhere to public health and safety standards. Meat cutting and merchandising environments may involve lifting and moving objects up to 25 kg (55 lbs.). These skills are essential to be successful in the Professional Meat Cutting and Merchandising program and to fulfill all the requirements of working in the meat cutting profession. (Please contact NAIT should you wish to discuss possible accommodations).
Campus Information
Main Campus
NAIT's Main Campus is located just north of Edmonton's downtown core, accessible directly via Light Rail Transit through the Metro Line. At just over 250,000 square metres, Main Campus is home to the HP Centre, the Centre for Applied Technology, the Productivity and Innovation Centre, and other administrative and instructional facilities. Instructors at Main Campus teach in modern classrooms and labs with real-life simulations and the latest industry-standard equipment and tools, ensuring they are able to excel at providing their students with invaluable hands-on experiential learning.
Intakes
- Jan
- Sep
Application Processing Time in Days: 45
Minimum English Language Requirements
| English Level Description | IELTS (1.0 -9.0) | TOEFL IBT (0-120) | TOEFL CBT (0-300) | PTE (10-90) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expert | 9 | 120 | 297-300 | 86-90 | |
| Very Good | 8.5 | 115-119 | 280-293 | 83-86 | |
| Very Good | 8 | 110-114 | 270-280 | 79-83 | |
| Good | 7.5 | 102-109 | 253-267 | 73-79 | |
| Good | 7 | 94-101 | 240-253 | 65-73 | |
| Competent | 6.5 | 79-93 | 213-233 | 58-65 | |
| Competent | 6 | 60-78 | 170-210 | 50-58 | |
| Modest | 5.5 | 46-59 | 133-210 | 43-50 | |
| Modest | 5 | 35-45 | 107-133 | 36-43 | |
| Limited | 4 | 32-34 | 97-103 | 30-36 | |
| Extremely Limited | < 4 | < 31 | < 93 | < 30 |
Job Opportunity Potential
NAIT offers support and learning opportunities for every stage of your career, including:
resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile reviews
mock interviews
job search strategy support
job postings
education and career planning
continuing education and professional development
lifelong learning and networking opportunities
Career advising
Our career advisors offer free, lifetime support to alumni including:
resume and cover letter reviews
mock interviews
LinkedIn profile reviews
job search strategy discussions
education and career planning
Job postings
Alumni have access to Career Connect, NAIT’s online job board.
Access a complete list of full-time, part-time, summer and contract positions posted by external employers. These employers are actively recruiting NAIT students and alumni. Create a free account to search the job postings or to post your resume.
Access the alumni job board with Careers by Simplicity app for iOS and Android.
PSW Opportunity
Eligibility for Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP):
Graduated from a designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada.
Desire to stay in Canada temporarily for work.
Important Note:
Graduating from a DLI doesn't automatically qualify you for a PGWP.
Validity of PGWP:
Depends on the length of the study program or the expiry date of your passport, whichever comes first.
Duration of PGWP Based on Study Program Length:
Less than 8 months (or 900 hours for Quebec credentials): Not eligible for PGWP.
At least 8 months (or 900 hours for Quebec credentials), but less than 2 years: PGWP may be granted for the same length as the study program (e.g., a 9-month program results in a 9-month PGWP).
2 years or more: PGWP may be valid for 3 years.
Completion of Multiple Programs:
PGWP may combine the lengths of each program if:
Each program is PGWP eligible.
Each program is at least 8 months (or 900 hours for Quebec credentials) in length.
Important Restriction:
You cannot obtain a PGWP if you already had one after completing an earlier program of study.
Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria
- Grade 12 English (English 30-1 or 30-2)
- Math 30-1 or Pure Math 30
- Physics 20
- Chemistry 20
- Proof of English Language Proficiency
OR
- Successful completion of a minimum of 24 post-secondary credits or 8 post-secondary courses within an accredited or recognized engineering degree or diploma with an Admission GPA of 2.0 based on the most recently completed post-secondary credits.
- Proof of English Language Proficiency
IELTS Academic NAIT also accepts IELTS One Skill Retake
6.0 in each section
NAIT’s ELP Exam
73% or “B” in each section
Canadian Language Benchmarks Assessment (CLB) or Canadian Language Benchmark Placement Assessment (CLBPA)
8.0 in each section
CAEL or CAEL Online
60 overall score
Cambridge English Language Assessment
B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency: 169 in each section
TOEFL iBT; Home Edition is also accepted
20 in each section
Duolingo
115 overall score
Effective Fall 2024: 115 overall score, with a minimum score of 100 in each section
Michigan English Test (MET)
59 overall score
PTE Academic or PTE Academic online
58 overall score
LanguageCert B2 Communicator Test
38 in each section
- Course Type: Full Time
- Course Level: Under Graduate Diploma or Certificate
- Duration: 04 Month
-
Total Tuition Fee:
14668 CAD
Average Cost of Living: 22895 CAD /year
Application Fee: N/A
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