You can start by taking a funeral team member intermediate apprenticeship.

Once you have one year of experience, you can do a funeral director advanced apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

You could get a job at a funeral home, supporting funeral directors. You would then get experience as you learn on the job.

To do this, you usually need:

• customer service experience
• to use a computer well
• administration skills

Qualifications while you work

While you work, you could take a diploma in funeral arranging and administration or a certificate in funeral service.

As you take on more responsibilities, you could do the diploma in funeral directing or the diploma in funeral service.

More information

You can get more advice about training to work in the funeral service from the British Institute of Funeral Directors and the National Association of Funeral Directors.

You'll need:

• sensitivity and understanding
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• customer service skills
• the ability to work well with others
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• business management skills
• the ability to understand people’s reactions
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

In this role you could:

• help families plan funerals, including the time, date and location
• manage team members on the day of the funeral
• organise services like flowers, transport and notices
  
• explain laws about funerals and help families fill in forms
• advise on types of memorials, like headstones

You could work at a funeral home, at a cemetery, in an office or at a client's home.

Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers.

You may need to wear a uniform.