Certificate IV in Funeral Services

This qualification provides the skills and knowledge for an individual to be competent in a range of funeral services activities and functions requiring funeral services industry management knowledge and skills. All qualification outcomes require knowledge and application of funeral services industry protocols when dealing with the bereaved. Work would be undertaken in a funeral home, cemetery or crematorium.

This qualification is designed to reflect the role of employees who work autonomously and coordinate and supervise others. It involves the use of a broad knowledge base incorporating theoretical concepts and requires the identification, analysis and evaluation of information from a variety of sources.

This qualification is suitable for an Australian apprenticeship pathway.

Job roles

Graduates with this qualification who undertake the specialist funeral stream could work in a funeral home as a funeral director responsible for all aspects of the conduct of funerals and the coordination and management of all staff involved.

Graduates with this qualification who undertake the specialist burials and cremations stream could work in a cemetery or crematorium managing burials, burial works and cremation services.

Graduates with this qualification who undertake the specialist building and grounds maintenance stream could work in a cemetery managing grounds and maintenance works and activities.

Possible job titles include:

funeral director

cemetery manager

crematorium manager.

Prerequisite requirements

There are no prerequisites for entry to this qualification.


Subjects

QUALIFICATION RULES

To achieve a Certificate IV in Funeral Services, 14 units must be completed:

all 7 core units

1 unit from one of the following Specialist Streams:

Specialist Stream A: Funeral

Specialist Stream B: Burials and Cremations

Specialist Stream C: Building and Grounds Maintenance

6 elective units:

a minimum of four elective units must be selected from the elective units listed below

a maximum of two elective units not appearing in the list below may be selected from any endorsed Training Package or accredited course.

in all cases, selection of electives must be guided by the job outcome, local industry requirements and the characteristics of this qualification (as per the AQF descriptors)

elective units must be additional to those already counted towards a lower level qualification within this Training Package.

CORE UNITS

add topic SIFIND001B

Work effectively in the funeral services industry

add topic SIFIND002A

Deal with grief and trauma

add topic SIFMGT001A

Coordinate a team

add topic SIFMGT003A

Supervise staff

add topic BSBLED401A

Develop teams and individuals

add topic BSBCUS501A

Manage quality customer service

add topic SIRXOHS003A

Provide a safe working environment

SPECIALIST STREAM UNITS

Specialist Stream A: Funeral

add topic SIFFNL003A

Arrange funerals

add topic SIFFNL007A

Conduct a funeral

add topic SIFFNL008B

Coordinate funeral operations

Specialist Stream B: Burials and Cremations

add topic SIFBCR010A

Supervise burials

add topic SIFBCR014A

Supervise cremations

add topic SIFBCR019A

Coordinate burial works

Specialist Stream C: Building and Grounds Maintenance

add topic SIFBGM006A

Evaluate building and grounds maintenance and development needs

add topic SIFBGM007A

Coordinate building and grounds maintenance and development

ELECTIVE UNITS (CONTINUED)

Burials and Cremations

add topic SIFBCR005B

Install burial vaults

add topic SIFBCR006A

Coordinate chapel operations

add topic SIFBCR007A

Prepare vaults or crypts for burials

add topic SIFBCR008A

Schedule burials or cremations

add topic SIFBCR009A

Reinstate vaults or crypts

add topic SIFBCR010A

Supervise burials

add topic SIFBCR012A

Arrange and oversee viewings of cremations

add topic SIFBCR016A

Supervise exhumations

add topic SIFBCR022A

Coordinate monument installation

Building and Grounds Maintenance

add topic SIFBGM006A

Evaluate building and grounds maintenance and development needs

add topic SIFBGM007A

Coordinate building and grounds maintenance and development

Client and Customer Service

add topic SIFCCS003A

Liaise with community

Funeral Operations

add topic SIFFNL003A

Arrange funerals

add topic SIFFNL004A

Arrange and oversee viewings

add topic SIFFNL005A

Arrange intrastate and interstate repatriations

add topic SIFFNL006A

Arrange international repatriations

add topic SIFFNL007A

Conduct a funeral

add topic SIFFNL008B

Coordinate funeral operations

add topic SIFFNL009A

Plan and conduct a funeral ceremony

Governance and Legal Compliance

add topic SIFGLC002A

Control and order goods

add topic SIFGLC003A

Conduct internal quality audits

add topic SIFGLC004A

Monitor contracted services and supplies

Working in Industry

add topic SIFIND003A

Participate in industry networks

Marketing and Public Relations

add topic SIFMPR002A

Prepare and conduct tours

add topic SIFMPR003A

Liaise with the media

add topic SIFMPR004A

Develop marketing strategies and activities

Occupational Health and Safety

add topic SIFOHS003A

Follow mortuary OHS procedures

add topic SIFOHS004A

Work in confined spaces

add topic SIFOHS007A

Identify hazards and assess risks in a cemetery or crematorium

Sales

add topic SIFSLS001A

Sell funeral and burial products and services

add topic SIFSLS003A

Lead a sales team

Imported units of competency

add topic BSBITS401A

Maintain business technology

add topic BSBITU402A

Develop and use complex spreadsheets

add topic BSBMGT403A

Implement continuous improvement

add topic BSBRKG402B

Provide information from and about records

add topic BSBRKG403B

Set up a business or records system for a small office

add topic BSBSBM301A

Research business opportunities

add topic BSBSMB402A

Plan small business finances

add topic BSBSMB404A

Undertake small business planning

add topic BSBSMB405A

Monitor and manage small business operations

add topic BSBSMB406A

Manage small business finances

add topic FNSACCT503B

Manage budgets and forecasts

add topic FNSICORG516B

Prepare financial reports to meet statutory requirements

add topic RTC3805A

Coordinate work site activities

add topic SIRXHRM001A

Administer human resources policy

add topic SIRXHRM002A

Recruit and select personnel

add topic TAADEL301C

Provide training through instruction and demonstration of work skills

add topic TLIR207C

Source goods/services and evaluate contractors

add topic TLIR307C

Negotiate a contract


Pathways...

    Not applicable.


Entry Requirements

Not applicable.


Licensing Information

Not applicable.


Employability Skills

SUMMARY

SIF40108 Certificate IV in Funeral Services

The following table contains a summary of the employability skills required by the funeral services industry for this qualification. The employability skills facets described here are broad industry requirements that may vary depending on qualification packaging options.

Employability skill

Industry/enterprise requirements for this qualification include:

Communication

Communicate effectively with staff and managers or supervisors on day-to-day operational matters and workplace policy or procedural requirements. Provide constructive feedback to staff on work performance. Read, analyse and communicate workplace information to staff and other managers or supervisors. Write reports and complete business documentation in the context of the job role.

Problem solving

Identify operational and performance management problems, individually or in the context of a team management structure. Clarify issues and apply existing policies and infrastructure to source information and resources and develop practical and sustainable solutions. Monitor OHS implementation and identify and address areas of concern.

Initiative and enterprise

Provide positive feedback, encourage staff to improve performance and be receptive to staff feedback on operational and performance issues. Translate ideas into action by developing and implementing appropriate staff development.

Teamwork

Develop teams and individuals through systematic identification and analysis of staff development needs. Work independently to complete own tasks while supporting other staff members where appropriate.

Planning and organising

Establish and communicate clear goals and deliverables for self and staff members within the context of organisational objectives. Develop and implement strategies to monitor and achieve product and service standards. Coordinate resources to ensure that work is carried out according to timelines and priorities.

Self-management

Understand and apply legislative requirements and responsibilities. Understand how own job role fits into the context of wider business values and directions. Maintain own knowledge of the job role, review own performance and actively seek and act upon advice and guidance. Monitor own grief responses.

Learning

Accept opportunities to learn new ways of doing things and share knowledge and skills in the workplace to improve overall work performance. Support the learning of other staff by developing and implementing staff development plans. Establish and use funeral services industry and business networks.

Technology

Adapt to new business-related technology skill requirements and select and use business or other information and communications technology where relevant, to support business operations and planning in the context of key business performance objectives and personal job role.

Due to the variations in job outcomes related to the specialist streams and the proportion of electives required by this qualification, the industry/enterprise requirements described above for each employability skill are representative of the industry in general and may not reflect specific job roles. Learning and assessment strategies for this qualification should be based on the requirements of the units of competency for this qualification.