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 agriculture industry that range from small family farms through to large integrated organisations working across the food supply chain.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to manage and control a complex poultry farming site or operational agriculture (hatchery) unit. The poultry technician will ensure that animal welfare is optimised throughout their stages of life. They will manage the performance and results across their site. They will ensure compliance with hygiene, safety and bird welfare legislation and customer standards. They will also manage the maintenance of the facility and the personnel and visitors on the site.
The nature of the process and the need for optimum growth in an exacting time window requires specific expertise and skills in poultry husbandry relevant to their stage in the poultry supply chain. The poultry technician will specialise in either, egg production, rearing, breeding, hatching or growing.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with senior management within their own business, poultry workers, and external stakeholders such as Government officials and customers.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for managing their particular unit and will supervise the staff that work in there. They are likely to work without close supervision, meaning they must be entirely proficient and competent in the process.
| Duty | KSBs |
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Duty 1 Manage and monitor biosecurity compliance across the site. |
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Duty 2 Monitor, recognise and report poultry behaviour relevant to species and method of production. |
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Duty 3 Communicate site and production information to stakeholders and identify and manage risks. |
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Duty 4 Maintain bird welfare throughout the production process. |
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Duty 5 Manage on-site processes to ensure all aspects of production meet organisation and legal requirements. |
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Duty 6 Manage the poultry site and bird performance in line with organisational requirements. |
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Duty 7 Monitor paperwork completion for and its distribution in line with company procedures. |
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Duty 8 Monitor the testing of alarms and back-up systems ensuring they are operational, and any faults rectified. |
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Duty 9 Monitor compliance with company health and safety policy, legislative and organisational requirements and Codes of Practice relevant to poultry. |
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Duty 10 Supervise employees, monitor the accurate completion of employee records, leave and sickness, and arrange inductions and training. |
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Duty 11 Manage and control contractors on site. |
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Duty 12 Maintain site security and report any issues in accordance with company procedures. |
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Duty 13 Manage brooding activities on site. |
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Duty 14 Manage the rearing of birds to target weight. |
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Duty 15 Carry out the vaccination of relevant birds. |
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Duty 16 Manage and monitor ventilation, heating, feed, water, litter, and lighting within the agreed standards, ensuring the highest quality conditions are provided for the birds. |
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| Duty | KSBs |
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Duty 17 Manage the process of bringing birds into lay. |
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Duty 18 Manage the use of equipment throughout the breeding process. |
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Duty 19 Manage the collection, grading and storage of eggs. |
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Duty 20 Manage the artificial insemination process when it is required. |
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Duty 21 Manage and monitor ventilation, heating, feed, water, litter, and lighting within the agreed standards, ensuring the highest quality conditions are provided for the birds. |
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Duty 22 Oversee the preparation of facilities for the arrival and, or departure of birds and manage the bird handling process. |
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| Duty | KSBs |
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Duty 23 Manage the hatchery process on site. |
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Duty 24 Manage the incubation processes required during hatchery. |
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Duty 25 Manage the hatching and despatch of birds. |
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Duty 26 Oversee and carry out the vaccination of relevant birds, in line with organisation requirements. |
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| Duty | KSBs |
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Duty 27 Manage the process of bringing birds into lay. |
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Duty 28 Manage the collection, grading and storage of eggs. |
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Duty 29 Manage and monitor ventilation, heating, feed, water, litter, and lighting within the agreed standards, ensuring the highest quality conditions are provided for the birds. |
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Duty 30 Oversee the preparation of facilities for the arrival and, or departure of birds, whilst managing the process of handling birds. |
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| Duty | KSBs |
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Duty 31 Manage the growing process on site. |
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Duty 32 Rear birds to target weight. |
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Duty 33 Manage and monitor ventilation, heating, feed, water, litter, and lighting within the agreed standards, ensuring the highest quality conditions are provided for the birds. |
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Duty 34 Ensure that facilities are prepared for the arrival and or departure of birds and manage the bird handling process. |
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K1: Anatomy, diseases, feed requirements, and typical characteristics of relevant species or breeds. (Core)
Back to Duty
K2: Indicators of health or welfare issues and the actions required to mitigate them. (Core)
Back to Duty
K3: Safety, hygiene and biosecurity legislation, and codes of practice relevant to the operation and how they are applied effectively. (Core)
Back to Duty
K4: Relevant welfare codes of practice, including the five freedoms. (Core)
Back to Duty
K5: Specific animal requirements appropriate to the species, environment and point in the growth cycle. (Core)
Back to Duty
K6: Processes for culling and removal of birds. (Core)
Back to Duty
K7: Processes for manual handling and transport procedures. (Core)
Back to Duty
K8: Standard operating procedures, methods of stock control and stock densities, record keeping, and reporting relevant to their operation. (Core)
Back to Duty
K9: End to end process of the operation, the stages within it, how to deliver reliable performance and their role within the wider supply chain. (Core)
Back to Duty
K10: Performance requirements, including cost, growth, mortality, waste, hygiene and safety metrics. (Core)
Back to Duty
K11: Facility management requirements applicable to the operation, alarms and backup systems. (Core)
Back to Duty
K12: Systems, technology, software, machinery, and equipment relevant to the operation for example, feed and water equipment, ventilation panels, egg packing machinery and incubation equipment dependant on the stage in the process. (Core)
Back to Duty
K13: Applicable legislation, ethical code of practice and relevant policy and process when supervising and managing employees and, contract or agency workers. (Core)
Back to Duty
K14: The application of equipment across the brooding process, and impact of environmental conditions and feed and water provision for example, brooders or heaters, feeders, drinkers, lights’ resources. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
K15: The factors that can impact on the growth targets required for organisational purposes. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
K16: The factors and causes that can affect the condition and physical characteristics of males and why this makes them suitable or unsuitable for breeding. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
K17: The principles of vaccination and the importance of correct administration. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
K18: The factors that can affect flock performance for the appropriate breed or species. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
K19: How to maintain correct conditions and apply appropriate resources to bring birds into lay. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
K20: How males should be handled during semen collection to maintain good welfare and maximise semen quality in line with organisational requirements. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
K21: The factors effecting bird fertility and semen quality in line with species requirements. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
K22: The reasons why it is important that the eggs are stored correctly and the consequences if this is not done effectively. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
K23: Facility and handling requirements for the arrival or departure of birds. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
K24: The reasons why it is important that the eggs are stored correctly and the consequences if this is not done effectively. (Hatchery)
Back to Duty
K25: The factors which would explain why eggs would be unsuitable for incubation. (Hatchery)
Back to Duty
K26: The reasons why it is important to have appropriate incubation conditions and times closely monitored and maintained. (Hatchery)
Back to Duty
K27: The factors that can affect the condition of birds making them unfit for transport. (Core)
Back to Duty
K28: The principles of vaccination and the importance of correct administration in line with organisational requirements. (Hatchery)
Back to Duty
K29: The factors that can affect flock performance for the appropriate breed or species. (Egg Production)
Back to Duty
K30: How to maintain correct conditions and apply appropriate resources to bring birds into lay and the reasons why these must be maintained correctly. (Egg Production)
Back to Duty
K31: The factors effecting egg quality and actions that can be taken to maximise this. (Egg Production)
Back to Duty
K32: Facility and handling requirements for the arrival or departure of birds. (Egg Production)
Back to Duty
K33: How to apply equipment and resources effectively for growing birds appropriate to the conditions for example, ventilation equipment, heaters, feed and water equipment, shed alarms, bird weighing equipment, lighting. resources, appropriate conditions. (Growing)
Back to Duty
K34: Feed and water provision and why it is important that these are correct. (Growing)
Back to Duty
K35: The factors that can impact on the growth targets required to meet processing requirements. (Growing)
Back to Duty
K36: Facility and handling requirements for the arrival or departure of birds. (Growing)
Back to Duty
S1: Maintains upkeep of the site to ensure legal compliance in line with welfare regulations, all relevant legislation and customer ethical standards. (Core)
Back to Duty
S2: Contributes to site audits and maintenance of the information system. (Core)
Back to Duty
S3: Manages the use of utilities, resources and equipment to control waste and optimise efficiency. (Core)
Back to Duty
S4: Complies with and enforce the company health and safety rules; works in a safe manner and maintain a safe working environment. (Core)
Back to Duty
S5: Takes responsibility for all personnel’s health and safety on site. (Core)
Back to Duty
S6: Ensures all accidents and near misses are reported and investigated in a timely manner. (Core)
Back to Duty
S7: Ensures that safety procedures and health regulations are followed at site by all staff and visitors. (Core)
Back to Duty
S8: Delivers full biosecurity compliance on their site in line with industry, company and customer standards for each poultry breed and implements corrective actions when required. (Core)
Back to Duty
S9: Takes responsibility and delivers personal hygiene compliance and procedures of themselves and all workers on their site. (Core)
Back to Duty
S10: Ensures the health of the birds or hatching eggs is maintained at all times and deals with potential welfare issues. (Core)
Back to Duty
S11: Provides a clean environment in line with agreed standards for the facility. (Core)
Back to Duty
S12: Identifies and diagnoses problems early and ensures appropriate measures are taken. (Core)
Back to Duty
S13: Maintains, monitors and utilises technology and systems appropriate to the operation. (Core)
Back to Duty
S14: Coordinates and conducts performance management checks, takes appropriate actions and maintains, updates, and keeps appropriate records. (Core)
Back to Duty
S15: Identifies the relevant environmental controls for the specific poultry breed, system, customer or egg programme, analyses when adjustments are required and applies them as appropriate. (Core)
Back to Duty
S16: Adheres to and applies welfare codes of practice including the 5 freedoms. (Core)
Back to Duty
S17: Applies and acts on business, industry and legislative requirements including industry assurance standards. (Core)
Back to Duty
S18: Implements and maintains compliance through understanding of the standards applicable to poultry and reporting and resolving non-compliance. (Core)
Back to Duty
S19: Contributes to assurance standard audits. (Core)
Back to Duty
S20: Manages poultry staff or contractors visiting the site and ensures compliance with all necessary rules and protocols. (Core)
Back to Duty
S21: Maintains employee relations through communication and assisting with training. (Core)
Back to Duty
S22: Communicates effectively with internal colleagues and external stakeholders using face to face or digital technologies. (Core)
Back to Duty
S23: Coordinates the movement and transport of birds safely, effectively and compassionately without undue stress, ensuring the use of appropriate manual handling techniques. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S24: Manages, maintains and operates equipment relevant to age, breed, bird requirements safely and effectively. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S25: Prepares, monitors and maintains equipment and appropriate conditions for new birds. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S26: Manages appropriate feed and water provision. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S27: Applies people and resources effectively to rears birds to achieve the suitable target weight and condition for breeding. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S28: Assesses and monitors that the growth of young birds meets production targets in line with organisational requirements. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S29: Prepares and administers vaccines in accordance with company procedures. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S30: Apply appropriate methods, equipment and team insight to ensure bird development. (Rearing)
Back to Duty
S31: Prepares facilities for arrival or departure of birds. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S32: Brings birds into lay by identifying and selecting suitable males for breeding. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S33: Applies the correct process and resources to bring birds into lay. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S34: Monitor and maintain the collection, grading and storage of eggs for breeding purposes and provide input and guidance to others where required. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S35: Monitor and maintain the artificial insemination programme relevant to the species and provide input and guidance to others where required. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S36: Prepares hens and monitors their insemination in-line with organisational requirements. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S37: Prepare males and monitors the collection of semen in-line with organisational requirements. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S38: Coordinates the movement and transport of birds safely, effectively and compassionately without undue stress, ensuring the use of appropriate manual handling techniques. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S39: Prepares, monitors and maintains equipment and appropriate conditions for new birds. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S40: Applies appropriate methods, equipment and team insight to ensure bird development. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S41: Manages appropriate feed and water provision. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S42: Ensures eggs are handled, graded, marked and stored in line with organisational requirements. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S43: Manages, maintains and operates equipment relevant to age, breed, bird requirements safely and effectively. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S44: Manages appropriate feed and water provision. (Breeding)
Back to Duty
S45: Manages, monitors and maintains the receipt and selection of eggs for hatching, ensuring workers follow correct process and giving advice and guidance on storage and selection of eggs. (Hatchery)
Back to Duty
S46: Manages, monitors and maintains the preparation, loading and incubation of hatching eggs. (Hatchery)
Back to Duty
S47: Ensures eggs are prepared for incubation at set times, the incubator is prepared correctly to receive eggs and eggs are loaded into the incubator correctly by the team. (Hatchery)
Back to Duty
S48: Checks egg fertility and selects eggs for transfer in line with organisational requirements and provides advice and input to others. (Hatchery)
Back to Duty
S49: Manages, monitors and maintains the hatch and despatch of poultry; – monitors the take-off of poultry, ensures substandard products are correctly recognised and disposed of in line with legal and organisational requirements, monitors the preparation of birds for transportation. (Hatchery)
Back to Duty
S50: Prepares, monitors and maintains equipment and appropriate conditions for new birds. (Hatchery)
Back to Duty
S51: Prepares and administers vaccines in accordance with company procedures. (Hatchery)
Back to Duty
S52: Manages, monitors and maintains the collection, grading and storage of eggs for human consumption in line with organisational requirements. (Egg production)
Back to Duty
S53: Prepares facilities for arrival or departure of birds. (Egg production)
Back to Duty
S54: Coordinates the movement and transport of birds safely, effectively and compassionately without undue stress, ensuring the use of appropriate manual handling techniques. (Egg production)
Back to Duty
S55: Manages appropriate feed and water provision. (Egg production)
Back to Duty
S56: Applies the correct process and resources to bring birds into lay. (Egg production)
Back to Duty
S57: Apply appropriate methods, equipment and team insight to ensure bird development. (Egg production)
Back to Duty
S58: Ensures eggs are handled, graded, marked and stored in line with organisational requirements. (Egg Production)
Back to Duty
S59: Manages, maintains and operates equipment relevant to age, breed, bird requirements safely and effectively. (Egg production)
Back to Duty
S60: Prepares, monitors and maintains equipment and appropriate conditions for new birds. (Egg Production)
Back to Duty
S61: Prepares, provides and manages appropriate feed and water provision. (Growing)
Back to Duty
S62: Prepares, monitors and maintains equipment and appropriate conditions for new birds including, Ventilation equipment, heaters, feed and water equipment, shed alarms, bird weighing equipment, lighting. (Growing)
Back to Duty
S63: Uses people and resources effectively to rears birds to achieve suitable target weight and condition for processing. (Growing)
Back to Duty
S64: Assesses and monitors that the growth of young birds meets production targets in line with organisational requirements. (Growing)
Back to Duty
S65: Prepares facilities for arrival or departure of birds. (Growing)
Back to Duty
S66: Coordinates the movement and transport of birds safely, effectively and compassionately without undue stress, ensuring the use of appropriate manual handling techniques. (Growing)
Back to Duty
S67: Prepares, monitors and maintains equipment and appropriate conditions for new birds. (Growing)
Back to Duty
S68: Manages appropriate feed and water provision. (Growing)
Back to Duty
S69: Applies appropriate methods, equipment and team insight to ensure bird development. (Growing)
Back to Duty
S70: Manages, maintains and operates equipment relevant to age, breed, bird requirements safely and effectively. (Growing)
Back to Duty
B1: Team focused and collaborates 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
Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is an alternative to the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL.
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revised version awaiting implementation | Not set | Not set | |
| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 08/08/2018 | Not set |
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