Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB)

Designation of occupation

Funeral employee
Recognized by ordinance of 3 July 2003 ( BGBl. I, p. 1264).

Duration of traineeship

3 years
The venues for training are company and part-time vocational school (Berufsschule).

Field of activity

Funeral workers are employed by undertakers and funeral directors or in cemetery administrations (mostly at cemeteries).

Occupational skills

Funeral workers

• observe relevant legal provisions, standards and safety regulations as well as customs and rituals
• work independently and as part of a team
• coordinate their work with the other in-house and external parties involved
• work in a customer-oriented manner and use modern information and communications technologies
• plan work processes, supervise and evaluate work results, process administrative records, participate in cost calculation and apply quality assurance and health protection measures
• create and use technical documents
• use and maintain tools, equipment, machines and technical facilities
• work and process materials
• accept and process funeral contracts
• follow instructions of the deceased concerning their funeral and are able to assist or advise relatives, to provide grief counselling services and supply information on organizational and psychological assistance to relatives, taking into account the specific grief situation
• carry out technical cemetery work 
• treat the deceased in accordance with hygienic and embalming standards
• transport, store and lay out the deceased
• participate in conducting funerals
• supply information on prepaid or prearranged funerals, submit offers and explain possibilities for financing.
  

Last modified on: December 12, 2006