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Funeral Services

Overview

The Funeral Services Industry is a small industry dedicated to arranging and conducting funerals according to the wishes of its customers. The industry is expected to grow as the death rate increases in line with the ageing of the population.

What does this industry cover?

  • Arranging funeral proceedings
  • Coffins and casket acquisition
  • Body removal and embalming 
  • Cremations
  • Assistance with legal requirements

Industry Information

There are 835 businesses in Australia offering funeral services. Most of them are family-owned small businesses will less than 20 employees.

There are a small number of very large businesses in the industry. One estimate is that the large businesses collectively control about 70% of the market.

4,400 people were employed in the funeral services industry in November 2015.

Traineeship and apprenticeship commencements in this industry are extraordinarily low.

Employment and wage data for this industry

Commencements Change

The change in Australian Apprenticeships commencements in this industry in the past two years. Commencements year to June 2018: 2

Source: VOCSTATS, extracted on 18/12/2018. AATIS analysis.

Graduate Employment

Australian Apprentice graduates from this industry in employment (in any industry).

Source: NCVER National Student Outcomes Survey, 2017, unpublished. AATIS analysis.

Graduate Wage

Average wage of Australian Apprentice graduates from this industry employed full-time after training.

Source: NCVER National Student Outcomes Survey, 2017, unpublished. AATIS analysis.

Industry Growth

Growth in employment in this industry in the past 5 years.

Source: Department of Jobs and Small Business, 2017. AATIS analysis.

Industry Size

The number of employees in this industry compared with other Australian industries.

Source: Department of Jobs and Small Business, 2017. AATIS analysis.

Industry Wage

Average wage of all employees in this industry.

Source: Department of Jobs and Small Business, 2017. AATIS analysis.

Key Occupations

Funeral Arranger

Conductor

Funeral Attendant 

Funeral Director

Embalmer

This industry is positioned in the following groups

Industry

Health, Care & Community Services

Work Type

Helping & Advising

 

Ready to see where Funeral Services can take you?

Career Pathways

Funeral Services has career pathways from Certificate II through to Diploma. Look at the Job Pathway Chart to see what is of interest.

Job Pathway Charts

MyGain - YouTube Channel

Watch videos on apprentices in various industries and their rewarding experiences doing an apprenticeship.

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Support Services

Apprenticeship Network Provider Finder

Apprenticeship Network providers can give information about starting an apprenticeship or traineeship, eligibility questions, and they also handle the paperwork and ongoing administration of apprentices and trainees.

Group Training Organisations Finder

Group Training Organisations employ apprentices and trainees and then host them out to employers. These organisations can provide great information about starting a career through Australian Apprenticeships.

Work Type Explorer

Search for Job and Training Descriptions by selecting from seven work type descriptions. For more details, take yourself through the Career Interest Explorer.

Further Research

Information

Industry information is published by peak level associations, government and major employers.  Accessing industry association sites, including member lists, is a good way of building up an understanding of an industry.  Visiting employer websites and looking for careers or employment menus helps identify how employers recruit and the skills they are recruiting.

Use Google to search for the associations and organisations listed below. 

Industry

  • Australian Funeral Directors Association
  • Australian Institute of Embalming
  • Association of Independent Funeral Directors

Career Sites