This is not the latest approved version of this apprenticeship. View the latest version
This apprenticeship is in revision
This revised version of the occupational standard and end-point assessment plan has been agreed and is available for information only pending approval of the funding band.
Proposal approved
Occupational standard approved
End-point assessment plan approved
Funding approved
This occupation is found in businesses within the poultry industry ranging from small family farms through to large integrated organisations working across the food supply chain.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to optimise the welfare of poultry and consider their needs throughout the different stages of their lives. This is practical work involving a combination of technology and manual labour. Being a poultry worker requires compassion, self-motivation and the ability to work both independently and as a team player. A poultry worker supports the bird development process, maintaining bird accommodation and preparing and monitoring the livestock production environment whether this is on a farm or in a hatchery.
Poultry workers are employed in breeding, egg production, grow out, hatching and rearing focussed occupations.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with their supervisor, colleagues and other visitors to the site, such as Government officials.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for their own work but will work under supervision, understanding their limits and knowing when to ask for help. They are responsible for adhering to company procedures, legislation and regulations to ensure animal welfare and the health and safety of themselves and others. They will work to performance targets while maintaining effective biosecurity on site.
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Duty 1 Recognise normal signs of behaviour relevant to species and method of production and report to site manager. |
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Duty 2 Support the team in the day to day running of the farm or hatchery. |
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Duty 3 Ensure biosecurity measures are adhered to in order to help keep the birds free from disease. |
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Duty 4 Follow instructions and guidance given by the site manager. |
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Duty 5 Assist in managing the environment, and equipment appropriate to the species and production system. |
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Duty 6 Complete husbandry records as required. |
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Duty 7 Assist with the monitoring and recording of performance. |
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Duty 8 Assist with keeping the site tidy and well maintained. |
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Duty 9 Observe and maintain organisational safe working practices. |
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Duty 10 Monitor and maintain site security. |
| Duty | KSBs |
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Duty 11 Assist with bringing birds to lay. |
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Duty 12 Assist with preparing and facilitating production of fertile eggs. |
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Duty 13 Record relevant egg production and egg grading information. |
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Duty 14 Assist with bringing birds to lay. |
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Duty 15 Record relevant egg production and egg grading information. |
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Duty 16 Ensure the safe handling and transport of eggs. |
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Duty 17 Provide and monitor feed and water. |
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Duty 18 Assist with brooding and growing procedures. |
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Duty 19 Handle birds appropriately. |
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Duty 20 Prepare for catching and receiving birds. |
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Duty 21 Provide and monitor feed and water. |
| Duty | KSBs |
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Duty 22 Store eggs in suitable environment. |
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Duty 23 Assist with the incubation of eggs. |
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Duty 24 Dispatch poultry in line with regulations. |
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Duty 25 Assist with the vaccination process. |
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Duty 26 Assist with brooding procedures. |
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Duty 27 Handle birds correctly. |
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Duty 28 Select birds for rearing. |
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Duty 29 Assist with vaccination of birds. |
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Duty 30 Prepare for catching and receiving birds. |
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Duty 31 Provide and monitor feed and water. |
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K1: The relevant species or breeds, their characteristics, behaviours, production cycle, and welfare requirements. (Core)
Back to Duty
K2: Importance of food safety, including personal hygiene and good hygiene practice and procedures relevant to site environment. (Core)
Back to Duty
K3: Health and safety requirements for the individual and the workplace including relevant company procedures and legislative standards. (Core)
Back to Duty
K4: Safe and effective methods of operating and maintaining equipment appropriate to the site environment. (Core)
Back to Duty
K5: Importance of biosecurity and the procedures and controls that have to be in place to maintain it, including general security rules relevant to the site. (Core)
Back to Duty
K6: Environmental conditions relevant to the species and point in the life cycle and the impact of any change. (Core)
Back to Duty
K7: Procedures for humane culling, storing and disposal. (Core)
Back to Duty
K8: Relevant welfare codes of practice including the five freedoms; Freedom from hunger and thirst, Freedom from discomfort, Freedom from pain, injury or disease, Freedom to express normal behaviour, Freedom from fear and distress by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering. (Core)
Back to Duty
K9: The impact of the poultry worker in relation to animal welfare. (Core)
Back to Duty
K10: Signals and behaviours that indicate animal health or welfare issues and the actions required to mitigate them. (Core)
Back to Duty
K11: Business and industry legislative requirements, including industry assurance standards. (Core)
Back to Duty
K12: Methods for stock control, record keeping and reporting. (Core)
Back to Duty
K13: Relevant costs, waste management procedures, bird metrics and site targets necessary to deliver effective performance. (Core)
Back to Duty
K14: Relevant technology appropriate to the process, for example controls and software. (Core)
Back to Duty
K15: Procedures for handling, storing, moving and transporting birds and eggs. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
K16: Production targets for the appropriate breed or species. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
K17: Conditions and resources necessary to bring birds into lay. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
K18: The correct dosage and quality of semen used for artificial insemination and frequency required to maximise fertility where relevant to species. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
K19: Production targets for the appropriate breed or species. (Egg production)
Back to Duty
K20: Conditions and resources necessary to bring birds into lay. (Egg production)
Back to Duty
K21: Procedures for handling, storing, moving and transporting eggs. (Egg production)
Back to Duty
K22: Diet and water requirements relevant to the species and point in the life cycle and the impact of any change. (Egg production)
Back to Duty
K23: How birds should be handled and placed in new environments. (Grow out)
Back to Duty
K24: Growth targets required for organisational purposes. (Grow out)
Back to Duty
K25: The equipment required to ensure the provision of appropriate environmental conditions and feed and water, for example, brooders, heaters, feeders, drinkers, lights, resources, appropriate conditions and feed and water provision required for brooding birds where applicable. (Grow out)
Back to Duty
K26: Procedures for handling, storing, moving and transporting birds. (Grow out)
Back to Duty
K27: Diet and water requirements relevant to the species and point in the life cycle and the impact of any change. (Grow out)
Back to Duty
K28: Principles of vaccination and the importance of correct administration in line with business requirements. (Hatching)
Back to Duty
K29: Correct storage conditions for eggs. (Hatching)
Back to Duty
K30: Reasons why eggs would be unsuitable for incubation. (Hatching)
Back to Duty
K31: Appropriate incubation conditions and times relevant to the species. (Hatching)
Back to Duty
K32: How to recognise infertile eggs. (Hatching)
Back to Duty
K33: How to identify birds are fit for transport and procedures to follow when birds are deemed unfit for transport in line with legislation. (Hatching)
Back to Duty
K34: Procedures for handling, storing, moving and transporting eggs. (Hatching)
Back to Duty
K35: Growth targets required for organisational purposes. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
K36: Equipment, resources, appropriate conditions and feed and water provision required for brooding birds (Rearing)
Back to Duty
K37: The condition and physical characteristics of males suitable and unsuitable for breeding. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
K38: Procedures for handling, storing, moving and transporting birds. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
K39: Principles of vaccination and the importance of correct administration. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
K40: How birds should be handled and placed in new environments. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S1: Works in a safe manner and maintains a safe working environment. (Core)
Back to Duty
S2: Carries out the relevant site procedures and report incidents or unsafe conditions. (Core)
Back to Duty
S3: Implements and monitors site biosecurity rules and procedures and implements corrective actions when required. (Core)
Back to Duty
S4: Follows site security rules. (Core)
Back to Duty
S5: Implements site and personal hygiene procedures, including relevant rules for entering & leaving site. (Core)
Back to Duty
S6: Maintains a clean environment in line with agreed standards for the facility. (Core)
Back to Duty
S7: Applies and uses appropriate manual handling techniques. (Core)
Back to Duty
S8: Monitors and maintains the health of the bird or egg. (Core)
Back to Duty
S9: Diagnoses bird or egg condition and acts appropriately. (Core)
Back to Duty
S10: Operates environmental control systems in line with operating instructions or procedures taking into account the species and point in life cycle. (Core)
Back to Duty
S11: Maintains and operates equipment safely and effectively relevant to the age, breed and bird requirements, for example, ventilation, feeding equipment, drinking equipment, incubators, nest boxes. (Core)
Back to Duty
S12: Utilises technology and systems appropriate to the operation, for example, a computerised shed environmental management equipment, hatchery processing equipment, environmental testing equipment, egg grading and packing equipment. (Core)
Back to Duty
S13: Conducts appropriate equipment and welfare checks in a timely manner, and maintains, records in accordance with company procedures. (Core)
Back to Duty
S14: Monitors and reports performance metrics for operations. (Core)
Back to Duty
S15: Adheres to and applies welfare codes of practice including the five freedoms. (Core)
Back to Duty
S16: Applies and acts on business, industry and legislative requirements including industry assurance standards relevant to the operation. (Core)
Back to Duty
S17: Adapts communication style to suit the audience. (Core)
Back to Duty
S18: Uses problem solving skills in carrying out roles and tasks. (Core)
Back to Duty
S19: Interacts effectively with colleagues, managers and site visitors. (Core)
Back to Duty
S20: Assists with selection of suitable males for breeding and correctly identifies males suitable and unsuitable for breeding, in line with organisational requirements. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S21: Assists with bringing birds into lay, (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S22: Collects, handles, grades, marks and stores eggs for breeding purposes in line with organisational requirements. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S23: Assist with preparing and facilitating breeding in line with the species and organisation requirements. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S24: Prepares facilities for arrival and departure of birds. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S25: Assists with providing the appropriate conditions and resources necessary to bring birds into lay. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S26: Measures the development of the birds using the appropriate method and equipment. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S27: Handles birds in the appropriate manner and places in correct area in suitable quantities in accordance with defined codes of practice. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S28: Moves and transports birds safely, effectively and compassionately without undue stress. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S29: Prepares facilities for arrival and departure of eggs. (Egg production)
Back to Duty
S30: Collects, handles, grades, marks and stores eggs in line with organisational requirements. (Egg production)
Back to Duty
S31: Monitor and provide feed and water. (Egg production)
Back to Duty
S32: Assists with providing the appropriate conditions and resources necessary to bring birds into lay. (Egg production)
Back to Duty
S33: Assists with bringing birds into lay. (Egg production)
Back to Duty
S34: Assists with rearing birds to suitable target weight and condition for breeding, (Grow out)
Back to Duty
S35: Handles birds in the appropriate manner and places in correct area in suitable quantities in accordance with defined codes of practice. (Grow out)
Back to Duty
S36: Prepares facilities for arrival and departure of birds. (Grow out)
Back to Duty
S37: Monitor and provide feed and water. (Grow out)
Back to Duty
S38: Assesses the growth of young birds meets production targets in line with organisational requirements and instructions. (Grow out)
Back to Duty
S39: Moves and transports birds safely, effectively and compassionately without undue stress. (Grow out)
Back to Duty
S40: Receive and select eggs for hatching. (Hatching)
Back to Duty
S41: Assists with checking egg fertility and selecting eggs for transfer in line with organisational requirements. (Hatching)
Back to Duty
S42: Hatches and despatches poultry. (Hatching)
Back to Duty
S43: Prepares facilities for arrival and departure of Eggs. (Hatching)
Back to Duty
S44: Assists with preparing and administering vaccines and treatments in accordance with organisational requirements. (Hatching)
Back to Duty
S45: Stores eggs in suitable environment conditions. (Hatching)
Back to Duty
S46: Takes off poultry, recognise and dispose of sub-standard products in-line with legal and organisational requirements and prepare birds for transportation. (Hatching)
Back to Duty
S47: Prepares and load eggs into the incubator in accordance with organisation procedures. (Hatching)
Back to Duty
S48: Assists with preparing and administering vaccines and treatments in accordance with instructions. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S49: Assists with preparing necessary equipment and appropriate conditions for new birds and prepares appropriate feed and water taking account of brooding and growing procedures appropriate to species. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S50: Prepares facilities for arrival and departure of birds. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S51: Monitors and provides feed and water. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S52: Assists with rearing birds to suitable target weight and condition for breeding, (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S53: Handles birds in the appropriate manner and places in correct area in suitable quantities in accordance with defined codes of practice. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S54: Assists with preparing and administering vaccine s and treatments in accordance with instructions. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S55: Assesses the growth of young birds meets production targets in line with organisational requirements and instructions. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S56: Moves and transports birds safely, effectively and compassionately without undue stress. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
B1: Team focused and works effectively with colleagues and others. (Core)
Back to Duty
B2: Supports an inclusive workplace. (Core)
Back to Duty
B3: Demonstrates a strong work ethic, including pride in work, attention to detail, integrity and good time management. (Core)
Back to Duty
B4: Committed to continuous professional development. (Core)
Back to Duty
B5: Contributes to a sustainable workplace. (Core)
Back to Duty
B6: Takes responsibility for adopting good animal welfare practices. (Core)
Back to Duty
B7: Adapts to change in conditions, technologies, situations and working environment. (Core)
Back to Duty
English and maths qualifications form a mandatory part of all apprenticeships and must be completed before an apprentice can pass through gateway. The requirements are detailed in the current version of the apprenticeship funding rules.
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revised version awaiting implementation | Not set | Not set | |
| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 07/06/2018 | Not set |
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