NWACC seeks applicants for new butchery program

Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food, a department of NorthWest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville, is accepting applications for its new artisanal butchery program. Application deadline is Jan. 11.

Program graduates will be prepared for various roles, including retail butchers, meat cutters, artisanal deli specialists, restaurant butchers and entrepreneurs. Students will produce charcuterie items and gain experience by staffing and managing a retail butcher shop in the 8th Street Market.

“What truly sets this program apart is our commitment to blending artisanal skills with sustainability and local sourcing,” said Marshall Shafkowitz, Brightwater’s executive director. “By training the next generation of butchers and meat processors, we’re equipping skilled professionals who understand the importance of ethical practices, the value of local food systems, and the care behind every cut.”

Travis McConnell is the butchery instructor.

“This program will be unique because of our ability to focus on whole animal utilization, maintaining and developing traditional butchery methods, and with a focus on flavors and quality,” McConnell said. “The students going through this program will understand the nose-to-tail philosophy and how to build a business from this knowledge. They will learn to source, butcher, and create high-quality charcuterie and craft butchery for their community.”

Following are the courses students will take:
• Food safety
• Butchery
• Charcuterie
• Retail butchery and charcuterie operations
• Food safety for manufacturing.

Classes start in January, and students can earn a certificate of proficiency after completing the 16-week program. The capacity is 16 students per semester. Tuition is based on residency; this information is available online at this link.

Application information is available by emailing [email protected].

In 2023, NWACC received a $650,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish the butchery program.