Meat Processing

Our Meat Processing qualifications offer comprehensive training across three levels to support careers in this vital industry. At Level 2, the Foundations programme introduces essential skills in safety, hygiene, and product quality for entry-level roles. Level 3, the Seasoned programme, bridges the knowledge gap by deepening understanding of safe practices, environmental sustainability, and quality assurance in meat production. At Level 4, the Advanced programme builds capability in leadership and specialised roles, such as boning, slaughter-floor, and optimising meat yields, equipping learners to manage processes and teams effectively. These qualifications provide a pathway for skill development and career progression in meat processing.

Available Training Programmes

NZC Meat & Meat Product Manufacturing Training

Available Training Programmes

Meat Processing Level 2

Foundations Meat Processing: BRINGING you the basics Programme

About this programme

This qualification programme is for anyone working in a meat processing plant, providing the essential skills and knowledge required for meat processing in New Zealand today. This programme is run by RMG under a contractual arrangement with Te Pūkenga – Work based Learning.

What you will learn

Graduates will learn:

Health and Safety skills: Fatigue management, safe practices, and knife handling.
Hygiene and Food Safety skills: Food safety requirements and workplace hygiene.
Product Quality skills: Identifying faults and ensuring quality meat products.
People skills: Effective communication and teamwork.
Business Operation skills: Complying with internal policies, legislation, and external requirements.

Qualification gained

New Zealand Certificate in Food or Beverage (Meat Processing) (Level 2) [NZQA Ref: 2735 v2]

Who should attend?

Targeted at those working in the meat processing industry post-induction, ancillary services staff, returning seasonal staff, and staff without a formal Level 3 or above NZQA qualification.

Career opportunities

• Multi-skilling
• Production & packing roles
• Meat processing apprenticeships

Training progression

This programme leads into the NZ Certificate in Meat and Meat Product Manufacturing (Level 3) [NZQA Ref: 2495 v2].

Admission information

All participants must have access to a workplace verifier and full company support to attend training sessions.

Modules in this programme

Topics	Number	Credits
Health and Safety: Fatigue, Safe Practices, Knife Handling		13
Hygiene & Food Safety: Company requirements		8
Product Quality: Processing quality requirements, producing quality meat		15
Communication & Teamwork: Effective workplace communications and cooperation		5
Job Tasks (Practical): Product, packing or ancillary services job functions		2 – 8

Delivery and certification

Venue: This programme can be run anytime across the country and will be delivered on premises at your workplace, providing flexibility and minimal disruption.

Certification: Upon successful completion, results will be registered with NZQA, and learners will be awarded the New Zealand Certificate – Te Pūkenga programme (Level 2).

Contact us

Contact Risk Management Group:

Bookings and course costs: Kay Petropoulos at kayp@iy9leiio-staging.dreamwpp.com or 021 357 374.
Programme and unit standard details: Sarah Wells at sarahw@iy9leiio-staging.dreamwpp.com or 027 240 8889.
Phone: 0800 RISKGROUP (747 547)
Website: www.riskgroup.co.nz

Meat Processing Level 3

Seasoned Meat Processing: BRIDGING the knowledge gap Programme

About this programme

This qualification programme is for anyone who has a role within the hygiene areas of a meat processing plant. It provides the essential skills and knowledge required for meat processing in New Zealand today.

This programme is run by RMG under a contractual arrangement with Te Pūkenga – Work-based Learning.

What you will learn

In this programme, we are bridging the knowledge gap by delving into the reasons and understanding behind meat processing procedures and techniques:

Health, Safety & Environmental skills: Apply safe work practices, develop sustainable environmental practices, and understand the full use and maintenance of knives.
Product Safety skills: Understand contamination, hygienic practices, and product safety processes.
Product Quality skills: Understand quality assurance requirements.
People skills: Interact on the processing line and achieve designated tasks together.
Business Operation skills: Comply with internal policies, legislation, and other external requirements for business operations.

Qualification gained

New Zealand Certificate in Meat and Meat Product Manufacturing (Level 3) [NZQA Ref: 2495 v2]

Who should attend?

It is targeted at those currently working in industry who are returning seasonal staff or staff who have completed the Foundations programme.

Career opportunities

• Multi-skilling
• Advanced production roles
• Technical roles

Training progression

This programme leads into the NZ Certificate in Meat and Meat Product Manufacturing (Level 4) [NZQA Ref: 2496 v2].

Admission information

All participants must have access to a workplace verifier and full support of the company to attend training sessions.

Modules in this programme

Topics	Number	Credits
Health, Safety & Environmental: Safe work practices, environmental sustainability, knife safety		5 – 10
Hygiene & Food Safety: Food/product safety procedures		15
Product Quality: Quality assurance requirements		5
Communication & Teamwork: Workplace communication channels, productivity		5
Job Tasks (Practical): Boning, slaughter floor, or packing operations		5 – 10

Delivery and certification

Venue: This programme can be run anytime across the country, delivered on premises at your workplace, providing flexibility and minimal disruption.

Certification: Upon successful completion, results will be registered with NZQA, and learners will be awarded the New Zealand Certificate – Te Pūkenga programme (Level 3).

Contact us

Contact Risk Management Group:

Meat Processing Level 4

Advanced Meat Processing: BUILDING the capability Programme

About this programme

This qualification programme is for anyone who has or would like to progress into advanced boning, optimization, or dressing roles in a meat processing plant. It provides the essential skills and knowledge required for advanced meat processing in New Zealand today.

This programme is run by RMG under a contractual arrangement with Te Pūkenga – Work-based Learning.

What you will learn

Process skills: Implementing work priorities.
Business Operation skills: Complying with internal policies and external business requirements.
Health, Safety & Environmental skills: Monitoring health and safety procedures and environmental practices.
Food Safety skills: Implementing food safety requirements.
People skills: Analyzing and conveying workplace information.

Qualification gained

New Zealand Certificate in Meat and Meat Product Manufacturing (Level 4) with strands in Boning Operations, Slaughter Floor or Dressing Operations, Optimizing Meat Yields [NZQA Ref: 2496 v2]

Who should attend?

It is targeted at those currently working in industry, including returning seasonal staff and those who have completed the Seasoned programme.

Career opportunities

• Multi-skilling
• Advanced production roles
• Supervisory roles

Training progression

This programme leads into the NZ Diploma in Meat Processing (Level 5) [NZQA Ref: 3016 v1] or NZ Certificate in Business (Introduction to Team Leadership) (Level 3) [NZQA Ref: 2453 v2].

Admission information

All participants must have access to a workplace verifier and full company support to attend training sessions.

Modules in this programme

Topics	Number	Credits
Health, Safety & Environmental: Health and safety procedural systems, environmental sustainability		10
Food Safety: Legislative requirements		5
People: Workplace information		5
Process: Work priorities		10
Job Tasks (Practical): Dressing operations or boning optimization operations	/	50 – 75

Delivery and certification

Venue: This programme can be run anytime across the country and will be delivered on premises at your workplace, providing flexibility and minimal disruption.

Certification: Upon successful completion of the programme, all results will be registered with NZQA, and learners will be awarded the New Zealand Certificate – Te Pūkenga programme (Level 4).

Contact us

Contact Risk Management Group:

Meat Processing Level 2

About this programme

The purpose of this qualification is to provide the food (Meat) processing industry with people who have the
skills and knowledge to work in entry level operating roles, under general supervision. This programme is run by RMG under contractual arrangement with Te Pūkenga – Work Based Learning.

Modules in this programme

Module	Level	Credits
30041 – Demonstrate understanding of personal health and safety when working	3	3
17593 – Apply safe work practices in the workplace	3	8
24528 – Demonstrate knowledge of workplace hygiene and food safety requirements	3	3
30039 – Demonstrate understanding of hygiene and food safety requirements	4	6
21329 – Maintain housekeeping	3	4
19506 – Demonstrate knowledge of company quality policy	3	8
24529 – Demonstrate knowledge of the basic food processing quality requirements	3	2
7758 – Identify product and/or packaging faults	3	6
28582 – Demonstrate knowledge of producing quality meat in a meat processing operation
24527 – Communicate in a meat processing operation
30038 – Demonstrate understanding of interpersonal skills
30040 – Demonstrate understanding of sharpening and maintenance of hand knives
30036 – Identify meat cuts
Electives – 4 credits selected depending on Job Role
7680 – Wrap food or related products using automated equipment
20298 – Fill and close containers
20299 – Label containers manually
30028 – Prepare cartons to pack meat
30029 – Weigh and dispatch product
30030 – Carry out viscera operations
30031 – Trim meat product
30032 – Use handheld cutting equipment to carry out a range of meat processing activities
30033 – Carry out cool store or freezer related activities
30034 – Carry out stock handling activities in a meat processing operation
30035 – Clean the processing area during meat processing operations
21160 – Locate and identify anatomical features of a carcass

What you will learn

Graduates will be able to:
• Comply with workplace health and safety, hygiene and environmental practices in a food processing
workplace
• Apply quality standards to achieve production requirements in food processing
• Perform basic food processing functions
• Apply an awareness of workplace processes and practices to effectively participate in a food processing
operation

Qualification Gained

New Zealand Certificate in Food or Beverage Processing (Meat Processing context) (Level 2)

Who should attend

It is targeted at those currently working in a general food (meat) processing operation working on production or
processing lines.

Career Opportunities

• Other more specific food or beverage processing sectors
• Supervisory Roles

Training Progression

This programme leads into the New Zealand Certificate in Meat and Meat Product Manufacturing (Level 3) and
/or the NZ Certificate in Business (Introduction to Team Leadership) (Level 3) / (First Line Management) (Level 4)

Meat Processing Pre and Post Slaughter Operations Level 3

About this programme

The purpose of this qualification is to provide the meat and meat product manufacturing sector with competent
employees, who are able to work under supervision in varied operational positions. This programme is run by RMG under contractual arrangement with Te Pūkenga – Work Based Learning.

Modules in this programme

Module	Level	Credits
28644 – Apply safe work practices in own work area	3	3
28624 – Apply sustainable environmental practices	3	8
28630 – Apply hygiene and food safety requirements to own work	3	3
28619 – Apply quality assurance practices to own work area	4	6
28650 – Work in a team to achieve designated tasks	3	4
28931 – Interact with internal customers	3	8
29090 – Demonstrate knowledge of product safety practices and processes	3	2
29089 – Apply product safety practices to own work area	3	6
Knife Handlers – Elective
28262 – Use and maintain hand knives  3 28267 – Sharpen hand knives  2v
Using a knife to cut product (one of the units below)
21159 – Pre-trim carcasses  5 28234 – Trim meat products  5 28183 – Remove non-viscera by-products from carcasses
Non-Knife job roles – need 10 elective credits – see Training Plan – Outline
Yards Slaughter Slaughter Floor Boning Room Packing Freezers / Coolstores Dispatch

What you will learn

Graduates will be able to:
• Apply knowledge of legislation to comply with workplace safety, environment, food and hygiene
requirements and quality assurance when processing meat or manufacturing meat products.
• Work in a team and communicate effectively in a meat or meat product manufacturing operation.
• Apply knowledge of company quality, environmental and hygiene requirements to carry out a range of meat
process tasks in a meat or meat product manufacturing operation

Qualification Gained

New Zealand Certificate in Meat and Meat Product Manufacturing (Level 3)

Who should attend

It is targeted at those currently working in a meat processing operation working on production or processing
lines.

Career Opportunities

• Other more specific meat processing roles
• Supervisory Roles

Training Progression

This programme leads into the New Zealand Certificate in Meat Processing and Meat Product Manufacture
(Level 4) and /or the NZ Certificate in Business (Introduction to Team Leadership) (Level 3) / (First Line
Management) (Level 4)

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