If you work in the funeral service profession, you know that it’s changing every day. Consumer preferences are shifting, new technologies are changing the way services can be done, and new forms of disposition or becoming available in select states.

Because of this, continuing education is important to your success as a funeral director, mortician, or deathcare professional. Below are 11 funeral director training resources that will be helpful to you, regardless of where you’re at in your career.

NFDA Certification and Training Programs

The National Funeral Directors Association provides regular funeral director training and CE credit opportunities for deathcare professionals who are looking to gain more knowledge in the space. All NFDA online courses are approved for continuing education by the APFSP.

NFDA Arranger Training

Learn all the proper skills that will help you elevate every family arrangement that you lead with NFDA’s Arranger Training program. This training course will help you:

• Discover new ways to convey the value of funerals to families
• Design truly memorable and unique memorial events
• Develop new action plans and process ideas for your entire team

You and your team can register for the program online or visit the NFDA website for more information.

NFDA Cremation Certification Program

With rising cremation rates, more funeral homes are looking to open a crematory or offer crematory services to the families they serve. Upon completion of this program, funeral service professionals can choose either of the credentials that they’d like to earn:

• CCSP – Certified Cremation Services Provider
• CCO – Certified Crematory Operator

This certification adds additional credibility to your resume and builds more trust within your community. You can register for the program online or visit the NFDA website for more information.

NFDA Certified Celebrant Training

Gain the tools and creative knowledge needed to help elevate the funeral service experience for every family you serve by becoming a Certified Celebrant. Network with experienced celebrants and improve your skills in the following areas:

• Presentation and talking skills
• Memorialization writing
• Knowledge of ceremonies and unique traditions
• Educating families about their options

You can register for the program online or visit the NFDA website for more information.

Funeral Continuing Education (FCE)

Funeral Continuing Education is a resource that allows funeral directors and funeral service professionals to search for state-specific courses that offer CE credit opportunities. Over 15,000 clients have taken FCE courses, and over 45,000 certificates have been issued.

For funeral service professionals who are looking to be licensed in multiple states or looking to earn CE credits quickly and in a cost-effective way, FCE may be a great option for you. They offer two different options:

• Pay as You Go: purchase courses individually and at cost
• Unlimited Access: gain access to all courses for one annual fee

ICCFA Certification and Training Programs

The International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) aims to provide exceptional education, networking and legislative guidance to deathcare professionals worldwide. They offer several certification programs and training webinars for professionals, including:

• Cremation Certification Programs
• Celebrant Training Programs
• ICCFA Certified Executive Programs

They offer a wide array of educational webinars and funeral director training events that provide insights into new consumer preferences and skills that will be valuable to know moving forward in the profession.

Cremation Association of North America

The Cremation Association of North America (CANA) was founded in 1913 with the goal of educating more people on cremation and gathering a network of experienced cremation professionals. They offer several fantastic funeral director training and online continuing education opportunities that can provide CE to maintain licensure.

• View CANA training and educational opportunities here
• Crematory Operations Certification Program
• Learn about their new CANA-Certified Cremation Specialist Training Program
• Read their educational blog here

They also work with the International Association of Pet Cemeteries and Crematories to offer:

• Certified Pet Crematory Operator training
• Pet Bereavement Specialist training

WebCE Funeral Director Training Courses

With over 25 years of providing quality online education to professionals, WebCE offers several training courses for funeral service professionals. You can browse their catalog and even filter by state. Below is a preview of some of the courses that they offer:

• Conflict Resolution for Funeral Directors
• Public Speaking for Funeral Directors
• Cremation Prearrangement Conference Best Practices
• Modern Funeral Home Management
• Understanding Social Security: Case Studies for Funeral Directors
• What Every Funeral Professional Should Know About Alkaline Hydrolysis
• Personal Life Insurance Planning

The Green Burial Council

Green burials are another form of disposition that is growing in popularity from a consumer preference standpoint. How much do you know about green burials? If you don’t know a lot yet, the Green Burial Council (GBC) is here to help. As stated on their website, they offer certification programs for burial grounds, funeral homes and products.

Approved providers can add this certification to their resumes and use the GBC logo in their marketing materials to let families know that they’re knowledgeable in the field of green burials.

Northwestern University Leadership Course

Are you looking to expand your leadership skills in particular? Look no further, Northwestern University offers a free course that helps professionals from all industries become better leaders. The online course offers free deadlines, a shareable certificate, and takes 10-14 hours to complete. You can enroll in the course below:

• High-Performance Collaboration: Leadership, Teamwork, and Negotiation

America’s Small Business Development Center

If you own or manage a funeral home and you’re looking for advice from experienced business consultants, you can connect with a certified business consultant through your local small business development center. They offer cyber security training and provide advice when it comes to any of the following areas of your business:

• Finance/Capital Access
• General Business
• Human Resources
• Management
• Marketing
• Networking/Community
• Business Valuation

Google Digital Garage

You may have all of the funeral service, embalming, and business management skills, but are you looking to expand your knowledge in the worlds of digital marketing and data? Google Digital Garage offers a variety of courses and certifications that are available to anyone. You may discover a few tips and ideas that help you when it comes to:

• Fundamentals of Digital Marketing
• Google Search Ads
• Content Creation

Local Communities and Groups

The community of funeral service professionals hosts a wide array of knowledge. Are you tapping into your fellow colleagues to learn and get better? If not, you may want to consider joining a few different online groups. You’d be surprised at what you’re able to learn and get better at. Below are a few prevalent communities that you may consider joining:

• • Facebook Group: Embalmers Who Care
  • Facebook Group: Embalmers Who Want to Learn!
  • Facebook Group: Funeral Directors and Embalmers Community Group
  • Reddit Group: Ask a Funeral Director
  • Reddit Group: Morticians
  • The Gather Newsletter Group

We also encourage you to follow other funeral homes on social media or connect with your colleagues on LinkedIn to talk about new ideas with them and stay in the loop with new updates in the profession.

Statewide Funeral Director Associations

There are funeral director associations established in most states, each providing specific resources and information. If you have questions about processes or requirements within your state, please refer to the list of state funeral director associations below.

They also provide information on new funeral director training resources and continuing education opportunities.

Sharpen Your Funeral Director Skills With Gather

At Gather, we love funeral directors. We’re committed to making life easier for both you and the families you serve. We offer the following solutions for funeral homes, crematories and trade businesses of any size:

• Case Management Software
• QR Body Tracking System (and Certification Course)
• Custom Funeral Home Website Design
• Funeral Live Streaming Setup

Schedule a free demo with our team today and see how you can make funeral home management easier for everyone involved.