NT Butchery Apprentices taking on the chopping block

For the first time ever a Northern Territory Butchery Apprentice has won the National Apprentice of the Year award at the Australian Meat Excellence Awards.  

Tamika Banks is a third year Butchery student at CDU TAFE and works at Malones Butchery. The win has reflected the quality, skill and passion that NT butchers have in the industry on a national level.

This is only the second year the NT has been invited to participate in the Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC) competition, AMIC is Australia’s peak industry body representing the meat industry, each year they bring together industry, small business and suppliers to compete and celebrate the meat industry locally and nationally.  

Ms Banks is part of a group of three Northern Territory Butchery Apprentices who will also be competing in the World Butcher Wars in Sydney.  

Ms Banks said she was grateful to have another chance to showcase her skills.

The competition will see NT based apprentices take on butchers from across Australia and the world in a highly competitive live showdown.  

She has also been invited to attend the Meat Business Women 2026 Australian National Conference in Sydney.

One of the other competitors is CDU TAFE Butchery Apprentice and Malones butcher Zander Troung. Zander at the age of 18 will be among one of the youngest competitors.  

Zander said he is excited to have a crack and showcase his skills on the national stage.  

“Butchery is a very niche trade; however it takes precision, passion and a love of meat,” Zander said.  

“Some of the days working here have been the best days of my life and I am excited to showcase what I can do and help promote the trade.  

“I’m really proud to be able to represent the NT, my employer and CDU.”  

CDU TAFE Butchery Lecturer and Meat Industry specialist Robert Owen said this is an exciting opportunity to showcase young talent from the NT.  

“It has been an incredible journey to watch these young people work through our pathway systems, to see them winning major awards and the opportunity to showcase their skills at national levels,” Mr Owen said.  

“I truly believe our team has exceptional talent and will compete at an incredibly high level of calibre, they are already some of the best in the NT and as we saw with Tamikah’s win, nationally.

“It’s a proud moment to have a whole team of skill apprentices representing the NT and I can’t wait to see what they can accomplish in the future.”

The NT team will travel to Sydney at the beginning of May for the competition, which is being held at Meatstock Sydney.