Kanpithak Pimkoksung, who is colloquially called Kan, was certain that he wanted to study a craftmanship after primary school, as learning a craft and gaining a professional skill that can be continuously improved has always appealed to him.
That is why he has tried his hand at carpentry and construction work in internships, just as he has considered cooking school. But it was during the last internship as an industrial butcher that he became certain, that the butcher trade was his future.
- With the butcher trade, I could see an opportunity to learn a complicated craft from scratch, just as with the education I am entering a profession where there are many opportunities in the future. For me, the best thing is the craft and the fact that you can constantly get better and faster, says 23-year-old Kan Pimkoksung, who started the two-year training as an industrial butcher in January 2022.
Part of a strong community
Kan Pimkoksung came to Denmark with his mother in 2014 from Thailand and therefore attended Danish primary school in the 8th and 9th grade in Skanderborg. He didn't know about the butcher profession before he started, but his family has supported him in his choice from the beginning, even though they had their misgivings.
- At the start, they were very aware that it is an industry with a reputation for being hard on the body. It is also hard at times, but at school we learn to take care of our bodies and work smart. So over time they have been able to see that it doesn't have to be harder on the body than other crafts, says Kan Pimkoksung.
For Kan Pimkoksung, the day goes by fastest when you can see that what you make with your hands ends up in concrete products that create value for your workplace and the consumers in the end. Kan Pimkoksung was also surprised by the strong community that exists at the abattoir.
- Being a butcher is not an individual job. You make some friendships and close colleagues, and people are good at helping each other. You feel that you are part of a team with many different types of people, where everyone needs to feel good and perform for it to come together. It's great to be a part of, says Kan Pimkoksung.
Wants to show off the trade at DM in Skills
Kan Pimkoksung is one of the five butchers from Danish Crown who will compete to become Denmark's best at the Danish Championship in Skills in Fredericia at the beginning of February. As a relative newcomer to the profession, he had not expected to qualify at all, but now he is looking forward to competing among the very best.
For him, one of the best things about Skills is that you are allowed to give it all within your expertise. You are allowed to express yourself through the cuts and be creative with what you think should be the marinade, seasoning and accessories. But most of all, he is looking forward to showing the profession to the outside world together with his colleagues.
- We all want to win, but we also have in common that we are proud to be butchers, and I am very much looking forward to showing the butcher's craft to the visitors and talking to them about the butcher trade and what they think about it and the products we showcase, says Kan Pimkoksung.