Butcher is desperately looking for apprentices in Bad Berneck

Butcher is desperately looking for apprentices in Bad Berneck

The search for new apprentices in the Leipold butcher in Bad Berneck is extremely challenging for butcher Rainer Maisel. He has been on the hunt for fresh talent for over five years, but for the coming training year that begins on September 2, the chances are again bad. "There are no applications in," complains Maisel and thus shows the difficulties with which many traditional craft businesses are faced.

The demands and expectations of young people have changed significantly over the years. Wherever you could lure with classic training places, other job profiles seem to be more sought -after and tempting today. Rainer Maisel would like to train a butcher and a butcher seller, but the actual applicant speaks a different language.

background of the butcher's shop

Rainer and Jeannette Maisel took over the Leipold butcher shop in 2017 by Rainer's parents, Gudrun and Wolfgang Maisel. Since then, the butcher's shop has established itself as an integral part of the regional market and currently employs eight people. Despite this stable basis, the company sees itself at a crucial moment that not only affects the future of the butcher shop, but also the tradition of the butcher.

The times when the doors of the farms of hopeful young people were stormed seem to be over in the face of demographic change and changing professional interests. The profession of butcher or butcher seller is often considered less attractive, which is a significant problem for many companies. The Leipold butcher shop is also not spared from this trend, and the search for suitable apprentices is increasingly developing into a bitter disappointment.

outlook for the industry

The butcher industry is at a turning point. It is not only the conditioning of future generations that play a role, but also the questions about the image and perception of the craft. A good work environment and contemporary training opportunities could be keys to regain the interest of the youth.

master rainer Maisel hopes that the situation will improve in the coming years and that more young people will be willing to see their professional future in a craft profession. In order to remain competitive, it is essential for the companies to find new ways to draw potential apprentices aware of themselves. The challenge is not only to fill apprenticeships, but also to present the butcher's craft in a positive light.