Odds of Getting In
While you technically don't even need a high school diploma to break into butchery, you do need a serious set of skills and a lot of luck. The truth is as tough as month-old jerky: even if you manage to apprentice with the best in the biz and become a true meat master, you might be waiting on the sidelines for your mentor to retire before getting a shot on your own.
Butchers aren't the types to retire early. With only a 5% growth rate, you'll probably find yourself having to look far and wide in order to put those hard-earned skills to use (source).