The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
BRIGHT SPARKS
Ideas required to help boost our essential trades
Step across the threshold at Dennis Paterson Butcher, and you’ll likely be served by the man himself. The modest shop in Northfield, Aberdeen, is an institution for locals, who don’t just pop in for half a dozen sausages. Even in times of restriction, Dennis and his small team still find the time for a quick chat. From how your granny is doing to new births and local news, he makes it his job to have a blether.
The popularity of butchers has soared in recent months, with many people returning to the local butcher instead of the supermarket. But despite the sudden surge, there is a shortage of butchers across the UK.
The traditional trade has been named on a shortlist of skills which could see Britain throw open its borders for migrant labour.
Brickies and welders are also in short supply, to the extent that UK Government migration advisors have recommended the sectors be added to the skilled migrant route.
The findings have led the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), which offers the government independent, evidencebased advice on migration, to recommend that the roles are added to the UK’s shortage occupation list (SOL) to make it easier for migrants to apply for work visas to fill jobs. It would enable employers to access a wider pool of suitable workers more quickly.
Chairman of MAC, Professor Brian Bell, said the shortages are extraordinary, and admitted that more could be done to attract people to roles within certain sectors.
your life spoke to those who currently work across the three trades in the north-east, in a bid to find out more.
DENNIS PATERSON BUTCHER
“Just nipping to Dennis’s” is a common term in the Northfield area of Aberdeen, where the butcher is renowned for his tasty offerings.
Now 52, he started off his career as a Saturday boy and opened his own business in 2005.
Dennis believes that people are put off by working long hours, and there is a lack of respect for the trade in general.
“I’ve been in this job for 35 years. I was a Saturday boy, and when I left school I started as an apprentice,” he said.
“It was more common back then – there were eight butchers in George Street alone and 45 butchers in Aberdeen.
“Now there are only six. “However, butchers have done really well throughout the pandemic, maybe because people have preferred coming in here rather than the supermarket.
“We’ve faced a lot in our time, from mad cow disease to foot and mouth.
“It’s been tough, and I think there are times when butchers are seen as second-class citizens.
“I don’t think people realise that this is a highly skilled job, to take a piece of meat and turn it into something amazing.”
The counter has altered over the years, and Dennis has kept up with changing trends.
“People want convenience now, they want a stir fry that only takes a few minutes,” he said.
“When I started out I was five years as an apprentice, now people get trained in two years.
“I’m serving third-generation now. I started out serving the kids and now I’m serving their kids.
“I’m a community butcher and I love working with the public.
“I think there is a shortage of butchers though, and that’s partly because of the job itself. I think young people, in particular, find the hours really hard.
“I used to play football on a Saturday, and I was told that if I wanted to be a butcher then I would have to give that up. It was as simple as that.
“I can easily be in the shop gone 10pm making chicken kebabs, and I work six days a week.”
Many a butcher has been trained by Dennis, including the only female fully qualified butcher in Aberdeen – Margaret Pirie, who opened The Butcheress on Carnie Drive.
“I’ve seen a lot of apprentices in my career, including Margaret,” said Dennis.
“I find it really rewarding to see people do well, but there isn’t a lot of support to make that happen.
“There’s limited funding to train people up, for example.
“I absolutely love what I do though, and if you like your job it makes life a lot easier.
“I’ll be here until I retire, God willing”
MEET THE MEAT
The quirkily named Meet the Meat was launched in Cove two years ago, and a second store is due to open in Banchory.
The shop has soared in popularity during lockdown, and only sources local produce.
The Cove store started off with seven members of staff, and now boasts a team of 14 – with eight new members of staff expected for the Banchory branch.
Cove manager David O’Neill believes youngsters are buying into the idea of apprenticeships, but said a shortage of butchers prevails.
“Training is so important; I’ve had hundreds of apprentices go through my hands,” he said.
“You need to take it seriously, as serious as you would take becoming a doctor.
“It’s not a willy nilly job and I’ve had some frank conversations with apprentices where I’ve said it’s just not for you.”
David started his career 30 years ago as a Saturday boy, before discovering that he enjoyed the trade.
“I didn’t really like school – when I did my apprenticeship it was accredited complete with exams,” he said.
“I have a passion for it and I believe I am actually good at it.
“Any fool can cut meat, but to get the full picture together really takes some skill.
“You can lose money and your reputation easily.
“If you went into a pub and had a bad beer, chances are you’d forgive them. It’s not like that in butchering, it’s personal.
“Even if a person has shopped with you a long time, if you give them a tough piece of steak you’ve lost a customer.
“Young kids never wanted to work weekends, but I think that’s changing.
“Youngsters are buying into it again and realising that this can be a career.”
RONNIE COWIE FRASERBURGH CAMPUS, NORTH EAST SCOTLAND COLLEGE
Alongside butchers, there is a shortage of welders in the UK.
It might seem difficult to believe, particularly in a place like Aberdeen where welding is part of the oil and gas industry.
Ronnie Cowie is currently curriculum manager for welding, mechanical engineering, manufacturing, maintenance and motor vehicles at the Fraserburgh campus of NESCol.
He has seen hundreds of students pass through the college, having started out there 30 years ago.
Once an offshore welder himself, he believes the shortage is “right enough”, but is mystified as to why.
“I worked offshore and overseas before becoming a welder inspector,” said Ronnie.
“Then I was asked if I was interested in a job at the college – it was meant to be for a year, but I’ve been here ever since.
“The average age of a welder in the UK is 55, and in America it’s 57. I honestly don’t know why that is.
“In Aberdeen, at least, it’s well known that a welder can make good money due to oil and gas.
“Apprentices can make more money than us lecturers. They can average £20 an hour and work 12-hour days, six days a week.
“You could work seven days if you wanted because the demand is there.”
Ronnie believes that youngsters may be put off by having to take numerous tests to become a multi-coded welder.
“If you’re a butcher or a brickie, you get your job by your experience and your CV,” said Ronnie.
“However, you need to take numerous tests in welding. There’s no other job like it.
“Every time you change jobs, you must get coded to the procedure of the new company before you are allowed to weld anything – and they could have 10 or 15 procedures. You need to prove yourself before you even start.
“I think it can be a great career if you struggle academically at school because it is very hands-on.
“I love seeing a student who just gets it, because they can produce true works of art.”
STUART MORRICE
At 17 years old, Stuart is Ronnie’s star pupil.
Stuart, who lives in Fraserburgh, started practising welding through a friend of his dad’s.
He now faces a 100-mile commute each day, through his job at L&N Scotland in Aberdeen.
“I don’t mind at all because I really love my job – I hope to be there for a good few years yet,” said Stuart.
“I was attracted to the course at Fraserburgh because I knew it was good money, and you didn’t need a lot of qualifications.
“It’s a really fast-paced industry, but my friends were more interested in doing mechanical engineering.
“People don’t want to give it a shot and I don’t know why.
“They’re missing out, because it’s such a good opportunity.”
IT’S A REALLY FAST-PACED INDUSTRY, BUT MY FRIENDS WERE MORE INTERESTED IN DOING MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
CHARLIE FERRIES ALTENS CAMPUS, NORTH EAST SCOTLAND COLLEGE
You might know Charlie through his dedication to the Highland League – where he has played and managed at the likes of Deveronvale, Huntly, Turriff United and Inverurie Locos – but he has worked at NESCol for 30 years.
He currently lectures in construction at the Altens campus, and is passionate about attracting the next generation.
“I started out as an apprentice stonemason for what is now Historic Scotland when I was 17,” said Charlie.
“Now, I mainly lecture in brickwork. “When it comes to a shortage of brickies, it’s yes and no.
“I’ve seen the cycles in my time and I think we’ve been really lucky in comparison to other areas.
“At the moment, Covid means large firms have quietened right down because people aren’t buying new houses. They’re doing up their own house with an extension maybe, and that’s where small firms do well.
“There used to be a lot of snobbery towards brickies, although I don’t think that’s the case anymore.”
Many of Charlie’s former apprentices now have their own firms, and he believes the sheer graft of the job is another stumbling block.
“All the young guys these days want to be working on a computer,” he said.
“You need to be willing to work outside in all weathers, to listen and learn.
“You can build your own house and have a good life, but it’s a physical life. It’s sore on the body.
“We’ve got 10 first-year apprentices at the moment, which is a really good number.
“We need to keep the skill going, because people will always need houses.”