James Whelan Butchers launches graduate programme
James Whelan Butchers has launched a new graduate programme designed to nurture a new generation of leaders in the food sector.
The three-year programme will blend on-the-job learning, leadership training, and a degree in sustainable butchery and gastronomy.
Participants will combine hands-on experience in James Whelan Butchers’ stores whilst simultaneously studying at Munster Technological University (MTU).
Graduate programme
The James Whelan Graduate programme is open to current team members, graduates, and new applicants with a Level 6 qualification or relevant work/life experience.
Prospective participants will take part in a structured interview process and, if successful, will progress through a number of structured stages.
During the first year, the participants will receive hands-on training in butchery, food handling, and customer service.
In the second year, participants will begin their studies at MTU while continuing to learn from industry professionals.
In their final year, participants will explore the wider food landscape; applying financial insight, understanding regenerative supply chains, and discovering how responsibility and profitability align.
James Whelan Butchers
Pat Whelan, chief executive of James Whelan Butchers said that the programme supports meaningful career development.
"This is about investing in people, the future leaders of our craft, our business, and our industry," he said.
"At James Whelan Butchers, knowledge is not written in books or locked away in classrooms. It is lived every day, shared from one generation to the next.
"Now, through the James Whelan Graduate Programme, we are opening this knowledge to a new generation.
"We have a global ambition to attract the best expertise in Ireland and around the world.
"We don’t just graduate students, we develop ethical leaders with the skills and values to make a difference and lead with integrity," he said.
Whelan said that since the 1960s, James Whelan Butchers has built its reputation on quality and service.
"The James Whelan Graduate Programme is more than a qualification. It is a celebration of craft, culture, and conscience.
"It is a launchpad that empowers you to create, lead, and shape the future of food, business, and leadership.
"This is a global first for the sector and one we are immensely proud to deliver," he added.
Applications are now open for the James Whelan Graduate Programme until December 1 at 5.00pm.
