A crematorium technician carries out all the practical duties involved with cremation.

The Work

You could be:

• cleaning and preparing the chapel before the service
• receiving the coffin into the chapel
• meeting the funeral party, organising the music and escorting the mourners into the chapel
• if necessary, helping to carry the coffin
• after the service, checking that the cremator (furnace or oven) is working properly
• operating the cremator
• after the cremation, removing the ashes from the cremator and storing them appropriately
• carrying out other duties, such as keeping records and helping to maintain the grounds of the crematorium.

Pay

Salaries are usually on the scales of local government manual workers. Overtime might be available. The figures below are only a guide. Actual pay rates may vary, depending on:

• where you work
• the size of the company or organisation you work for
• the demand for the job.

Starting salaries tend to be around £20,000 a year, rising to over £30,000 a year with experience.

Crematorium Managers will earn between £35,000 and £40,000 a year.

Conditions

• Shifts are usually between 8.00am and 6.00pm but you may have to work late, and weekends.
• You have to stand a lot and sometimes bend, lift and carry.
• You work mainly indoors but might have some gardening duties.
• You wear a dark, smart suit for chapel work, and protective overalls when working with the cremator.

Getting In

• Personal qualities are more important than educational qualifications.
• You must hold or be willing to undergo the Crematorium Technicians Training Scheme (CTTS) or the Training and Examination Scheme for Cremator Technicians (TEST).
• It helps if you have experience of working with the public.
• Basic administrative and IT skills are useful.
• There are jobs both with the local authority and with private companies.
• You may need a driving licence for some posts.

Vacancies appear in newspapers and on the local government website: www.myjobscotland.gov.uk and Find a Job website.

Job Outlook Scotland

Job Outlook Scotland and UK

What Does it Take?

You should be:

• mature, tactful and discreet
• respectful towards different religious beliefs
• able to follow instructions
• aware of health, safety and hygiene requirements
• able to work on your own
• a good organiser
• able to communicate with a wide range of people.

Training

• Training is mainly on the job.
• The Crematorium Technicians Training Scheme (CTTS) is offered by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM). The course is delivered online and you would work through the modules at your own pace.
• The Training and Examination Scheme for Cremator Technicians (TEST), recognised by DEFRA is offered by the Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities (FBCA). You must carry out 50 recorded cremations under supervision by a certified technician, complete a dedicated online module for the guidance of the cremation of babies and infants, theory coursework, and an onsite practical assessment.

Getting On

• With experience you could apply for crematorium manager jobs.
• There are good prospects, although you might have to move to other areas for promotion.
• You can also work in administration, starting as an office junior and rising to the level of registrar.

Video

Contacts

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.