Diploma in Funeral Services

THE COURSE

Working with grieving families and dead bodies requires special skills, and the Wellington Technology Institute offers people working in the industry a Diploma in Funeral Services.

Students must have at least one year's experience working in the funeral services sector and be over 20 years of age to be eligible for the course.

Graduates can specialise in funeral directing or embalming at some of the larger funeral homes in New Zealand, but many use both disciplines in their job.

The diploma is run through a combination of distance learning and on-site block courses.

Students attain the diploma by completing the National Certificate in Funeral Directing and the National Certificate in Embalming, which each take 15 months of study and supervised practical work.

The funeral directing course involves three two-week stints at WelTec.

Students learn behavioural science such as the process of loss and grief and skills to help and communicate with clients, as well as self-care skills.

Other topics include the history and philosophy of funeral services, the law, and the logistics of transporting a dead body and using specialist equipment.

Cultural aspects such as the range of religious and cultural rituals are taught and students visit churches and cultural centres to meet community representatives.

Students sit four examinations and are assessed by practical assignments and case studies.

Graduates become registered funeral directors.

The embalming course encompasses two six-week sessions at WelTec.

Students learn chemistry, anatomy, physiology, microbiology, embalming theory and practice incorporating the disinfection, preservation and presentation of bodies, and the history and philosophy of embalming.

There are four written examinations and one practical examination.

Graduates are eligible to be a member of the New Zealand Embalmers' Association (NZEA).

All students also learn first aid, defensive driving and computer studies.

People have to arrange accommodation in Wellington and the Funeral Service Training Trust has to approve the student's supervisor.

Numbers for funeral directing and embalming are limited to 18 and 14 each year, respectively.

Applications are on a first-come, first-served basis and can be made until February for embalming and April for funeral directing.

Further study is run in co-operation with the NZEA and the Funeral Directors' Association of New Zealand through short courses and training at conferences.

Fees for the embalming certificate total $4051 and those for funeral directing are $3958, both including GST.

WHAT GRADUATES THINK

John Schipper, 39

Funeral director

Davis Funeral Services

Auckland

Graduated 2001

"I did the embalming part of the course in 1985 and then did the funeral directing after a 15-year break.

"Usually people concentrate on embalming first and get proficient at that and then step up to the next level as a funeral director.

"With the embalming course back then I learnt all about anatomy, pathology, physiology, embalming theory, microbiology, chemistry and restorative art. It was quite a broad range to learn.

"The funeral directing course made me evaluate what I was doing professionally. It made me think a lot harder about serving families.

It broadened my horizons and expanded what I can draw upon in dealing with bereaved families.

"I feel more complete in myself having the diploma and it will make it a bit easier to get management roles."

WHAT EMPLOYERS THINK

Bob Russell

Manager

Davis Funeral Services

Auckland

"The course covers all aspects of funeral directing - the correct ethics, morals and way of doing everything involved with directing a funeral.

"Even after 28 years in the industry I am learning every day. So it is good that the students have to be employed in the profession beforehand so they have a basis to build on.

"A funeral is about saying goodbye and every family is unique in their grief. This is particularly special in the multicultural Auckland area.

"The course adds a big advantage for someone in the profession in that it educates them fully in these issues. It also covers the important behavioural science, which is really about understanding people. Our firm puts a lot of weight on qualifications."

THE QUALIFICATION

Diploma in Funeral Services

WelTec

Phone: 04 920 2634

Email: michael.wolffram@weltec.ac.nz