So he learnt how to make one.
Growing up on his family dairy farm, he developed an early appreciation for locally sourced food ― watching livestock being processed and learning about the journey from farm to table.
“I sort of just grew a bit of a love for it that way, knowing where the food comes from,” he said.
So it made sense that Jack would look for a local place to continue to learn this work ― even if his family no longer had livestock.
His family’s local butcher shop ― Cottam’s Family Butchers in Rochester — was a natural choice, and he spent four years learning the trade under Tim Cottam’s patience guidance.
Jack began with a school-based apprenticeship, spending one day a week at the shop in Year 10 before increasing his time there as he progressed through school.
At the end of Year 11, he left school to pursue butchery full-time, allowing him to complete his apprenticeship by the time he was 19.
While learning the technical side of the trade, a challenge of his was becoming comfortable serving customers and striking up conversations with people he did not know.
“I’m not a very out-there-going sort of person, so serving and talking to customers and having conversations with different people was probably the hardest part,” he said.
Over time, building relationships with regular customers in a close-knit community helped those conversations flow far more naturally ― and became a rewarding part of the job.
Jack said finishing his apprenticeship brought a sense of relief, as well as pride in an achievement he had worked towards for years.
“It's a good skill to have to be able to feed your friends and family,” he said.
While his apprenticeship centred on the technical craft of butchery, his farm upbringing gave him a broader skill set ― including processing and preparing animals ― allowing him to take on independent butchering jobs on weekends.
The work involves travelling to properties to process lambs for clients, providing extra income while he continues working at Cottam's.
Away from work, Jack enjoys camping, four-wheel driving, fishing, hunting and football ― though most of these pastimes have taken a back seat as his dedication to his craft continues to grow.
For young people considering a trade apprenticeship, Jack said he would encourage them to give it a go.
“Once you’ve got that skill, it’s something to fall back on for the rest of your life,” he said.
With his apprenticeship now behind him and the busy Christmas season just around the corner, Jack is looking forward to sharpening his skills further and continuing to serve the loyal local customers who have become such familiar and valued faces over the past four years.
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