Cemetery worker
Career outlook for cemetery worker
UK Salary Ranges
Entry-level
£17,000
£17,000
Experienced
£25,000
£25,000
Currently employed in Scotland
1,600
Salary information is provided by the "National Careers Service". "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures. Due to COVID-19 the jobs market is constantly changing. Some of the information may not reflect the current situation.
What's it like?
You would prepare graves so families can say goodbye to their loved one at a funeral.
You’d look after the cemetery so it is tidy and pleasant when people visit in later months and years to remember the person.
You’d work outdoors to maintain the grounds at cemeteries and crematoriums. You’d respectfully tend the graves and memorial sites so families know that they are always cared for.
You would:
- Measure and mark out the spaces for graves
- Use a mechanical excavator and hand tools to dig graves
- Prop up the sides of the grave with timber, using hydraulic equipment
- Keep the cemetery and graves tidy
- Check headstones for damage and remove those that are not safe
- Cut and trim the lawns, verges and plants
You’d work with other funeral and cemetery staff including:
- Crematorium technicians
- Cemetery inspectors and superintendents
- Council officials
- General gardening staff
Working conditions
Hours
Environment
UK employment status
Full-time
50%
Part-time
34%
Self employed
17%
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Find a jobTop skills
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- Verbal communication
- Empathising
- Respecting
- Attention to detail
- Managing resources
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Qualifications
There are no formal qualifications required to enter this role; personal qualities are more important than academic.
You will also need
You usually have to be able to drive or ride on machinery, for example, a mower.
A full driving licence is usually required.
A licence with Categories B1E and C1E may be required and a JCB certificate is an advantage or be willing to gain a JCB Certificate once in work.
Helpful to have
Qualifications and experience in construction or gardening.