The best way to find a mortician apprenticeship is to start with your state rules, then build a local list of funeral homes, school contacts, and entry-level roles that can lead to supervised training. Do not wait until graduation to make your first contact.
Apprenticeships are often local, relationship-based, and not always posted as clean job listings.
Quick Answer
To find a mortician apprenticeship:
- Confirm your state’s apprentice or intern license rules
- Ask ABFSE programs about placement relationships
- Build a list of funeral homes within commuting distance
- Look for funeral attendant, removal, and assistant roles
- Contact funeral homes directly with a short, specific message
- Ask whether the role counts toward licensure
- Compare pay, supervision, case volume, and schedule before accepting
Start with your state’s rules: Mortician License Requirements by State
Step 1: Confirm the State Rules First
Before you apply anywhere, find out what your state calls the training period.
It may be called:
- Apprentice license
- Funeral director intern
- Resident trainee
- Provisional license
- Embalmer apprentice
- Funeral service intern
Then confirm:
- Whether you need to be in school first
- Whether you must graduate first
- Whether the funeral home must be approved
- Whether the supervisor must hold a specific license
- How many hours, months, years, or cases are required
- Whether funeral directing and embalming have separate requirements
This prevents the biggest mistake: working in a funeral home for months and later discovering the time does not count.
Step 2: Use Your School Before You Apply Randomly
ABFSE-accredited programs often know which local funeral homes take students, interns, or apprentices. Ask admissions and program staff these questions before enrolling:
- How many students find apprenticeships before graduation?
- Which funeral homes regularly hire students?
- Does the program help with placement?
- Are internships built into the curriculum?
- Are local funeral homes open to part-time student work?
- What percentage of graduates are employed in funeral service?
If a school cannot explain how students find supervised experience, that is a warning sign.
Use the School Finder to compare programs by location, tuition, debt, and outcomes.
Step 3: Build a Local Funeral Home List
Do not only search job boards. Many smaller funeral homes never post apprentice jobs publicly.
Build a spreadsheet with:
- Funeral home name
- City
- Website
- Phone
- Email or contact form
- Licensed staff names if available
- Whether they mention apprentices, interns, attendants, or removals
- Notes from each contact
Prioritize funeral homes:
- Near an ABFSE program
- With enough case volume
- That already employ apprentices or interns
- That offer both funeral directing and preparation room exposure
- That have licensed supervisors on staff
Step 4: Search for Related Job Titles
If “mortician apprentice” produces no results, search adjacent terms:
- Funeral apprentice
- Funeral director intern
- Funeral home assistant
- Funeral attendant
- Removal technician
- Transfer technician
- Funeral service assistant
- Crematory operator
- Family service assistant
- Embalmer apprentice
These roles may not all count toward licensure, but they can get you inside the industry and help you build contacts.
Step 5: Send a Short Outreach Message
Your first message should be practical, not dramatic. Funeral homes are busy. Make it easy for them to answer.
Email template
Subject: Funeral service apprenticeship inquiry
Hello [Name],
My name is [Your Name]. I am preparing for a career in funeral service and am looking for an apprentice, intern, or entry-level funeral home role in [City/State].
I am currently [enrolled in / applying to / researching] an ABFSE-accredited mortuary science program, and I am confirming the state requirements for supervised training.
Do you ever take apprentices, interns, funeral attendants, or removal staff who are working toward licensure?
If so, I would be grateful to learn what you usually look for and whether there is a good time to send a resume or speak briefly.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
[Phone]Phone script
Hi, my name is [Name]. I am preparing for a career in funeral service and wanted to ask whether your funeral home ever takes apprentices, interns, funeral attendants, or entry-level staff who are working toward licensure.If they say no, ask:
Do you know any funeral homes in the area that do take apprentices or students?Step 6: Ask Whether It Counts Toward Licensure
Before accepting a role, ask directly:
- Will this be registered with the state board?
- Who is the licensed supervisor?
- Will my hours or cases count?
- What documentation will be signed?
- Will I get exposure to both arrangements and preparation?
- How often do apprentices complete the program here?
If the answer is “we will figure it out later,” be cautious.
Step 7: Compare the Quality of the Apprenticeship
Not all apprenticeships are equal. A good apprenticeship should give you supervised exposure to the full profession, not only errands and cleaning.
Compare:
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Case volume | More cases can mean broader learning |
| Supervision | A good mentor changes the experience |
| Task mix | Directing, embalming, removals, paperwork, services |
| Pay | Low pay may be normal, but it still has to fit your life |
| On-call load | Nights and weekends affect burnout |
| Documentation | Missing paperwork can delay licensure |
| Culture | A toxic workplace can push people out of the field |
Where to Look
School career offices
Best for student roles and known funeral home partners.
State funeral director associations
Some associations have job boards or member directories.
State licensing board resources
Some states list registered establishments or approved supervisors.
Funeral home websites
Look for “careers,” “join our team,” or staff pages.
Job boards
Search broadly using the related job titles above. Do not rely on one keyword.
Direct local outreach
Still one of the most practical paths, especially for independent funeral homes.
Mistakes to Avoid
Waiting until graduation
Start building relationships while researching schools or during your first year.
Applying only online
Online applications miss smaller funeral homes that hire through direct contact.
Not checking state rules
A job can be useful experience without counting toward licensure. Know which one you are accepting.
Ignoring commute and on-call reality
An apprenticeship an hour away can become difficult if removals, services, or night calls are part of the role.
Choosing only by pay
Pay matters, especially if you have debt. But mentorship and case exposure also matter because they determine whether you become employable after training.
How to Prepare Before You Apply
Before contacting funeral homes:
- Read your state licensing page
- Prepare a one-page resume
- Visit local funeral home websites
- Make a list of 20-30 targets
- Write a short email
- Practice a phone script
- Know your school timeline
- Know whether you can work evenings or weekends
Frequently Asked Questions
Do funeral homes hire apprentices with no experience?
Some do, especially if you are enrolled in mortuary school or willing to start in an assistant, attendant, or removal role. Reliability and professionalism matter more than having advanced technical skills at the start.
Should I find an apprenticeship before mortuary school?
If your state allows it or you are unsure about the field, yes. Even if the work does not count toward licensure, it can help you test fit and build local contacts.
What if no one is hiring apprentices?
Ask about adjacent roles: funeral attendant, removal technician, service assistant, crematory support, or administrative support. These roles can lead to apprenticeship when an opening appears.
Is a corporate funeral home better than an independent one?
Neither is automatically better. Corporate homes may have clearer HR processes and openings. Independent homes may offer broader hands-on exposure. Compare supervision, case mix, schedule, and culture.
How early should I start looking?
Start before or during school. Even if you are not ready to work yet, early conversations help you understand local expectations.
Next Step
Use these tools before applying:
Method and Limits
This guide synthesizes public career, licensing, school, and salary references into decision guidance. The method is to separate official requirements and wage data from practical interpretation, then point readers to the relevant state board, school, or labor data source before they make a final decision.
Sources
- ABFSE accredited program directory
- State funeral service licensing rules summarized in the licensing hub
- The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards licensing resources
- Funeral service apprenticeship requirements used in the site career guides