The Academy at CPJ Field

At CPJ Field we invest heavily in training. We offer a thorough funeral service training programme to support new recruits and our colleagues across all roles within the company.

What is the purpose of CPJ Field’s Academy training programme?

We believe it is our duty to ensure that all colleagues, in their roles supporting both our living and deceased clients, must be fully trained to effectively carry out those duties. We want to equip them with the right level of knowledge to carry out their funeral service duties to the highest standard possible.

The Academy allows us to fully support our teams, from Funeral Directors, Funeral Service Members, and Funeral Administrators, training them in all aspects of funeral service so that they can support families at a difficult time.

We are thankful that the reviews that we receive each week testify to the compassion and care of our colleagues, and our training is recognised as industry-leading to enable this.

How does the Academy training programme work?

It starts from the day a new team member joins us. Our Funeral Directors and Funeral Arrangers both have comparable training experience. Those working in frontline roles go through a 10-point induction programme to ensure they are providing the best service to clients and the best care to the deceased entering our care. Our Funeral Arrangers and Funeral Directors are also inducted and trained in how to support clients ably and confidently.

Having completed their local inductions, colleagues move to one our centrally delivered training programmes. Funeral Arrangers and Funeral Directors attend an in-house 7-day programme, which can be taken as one, or as a combination of courses. Funeral Service Team Members, who work in our garages, workshops, mortuaries and on our fleet of ambulances complete a 3-day classroom course, followed by extensive specialist days.

Our courses are available for both onboarding new colleagues and supporting current employees who want to improve their skills and knowledge.

What aspects does our training programme include?

The Funeral Home

Our training ensures an understanding of the way a funeral home runs, which is essential to both the smooth operation of the home and the high standards we expect.

Funeral Arranging

Our training teaches how to create bespoke funerals, and how to assist the family in every way, so that the funeral is unique, and the burden is reduced. This includes the sad topic of funerals for children, including how to set up a visiting room for the funeral of a child.

Cremation

Training on the cremation process and how to manage one is an essential part of a funeral director or funeral arranger’s knowledge in order to be able to deliver advice and assistance on carrying out a cremation.

Burials

Our team is taught about burials, alternative burial sites, how to find a burial plot and the costs involved. We also carry out drills such as how to bear and lower coffins. Though we can’t dig practice graves, we do make use of the facilities that we have. An inspection pit makes a handy training grave.

Different Faiths

Without an understanding of different faiths, communication with families would be difficult. Our teams are trained to understand in detail what these preferences might be.

Repatriation

It is important that all team members are familiar with the practicalities of repatriation, such as how to prepare a coffin for shipping. This includes understanding the processes used by Homeland International.

Health & Safety

It is important that all team members are familiar with the practicalities of repatriation, such as how to prepare a coffin for shipping.

Local Knowledge & Information

Local knowledge is built up over time, however, the CPJ way includes training on where to find local resources to facilitate all that is needed in preparation for and on the day of the funeral.

Guiding the Family

Possibly the most important part of our training is preparing our colleagues for how to assist families at a difficult time, when they are grieving and feel overwhelmed. The training provides useful guidance at key stages, such as before, during and after a funeral.

Leadership

All our colleagues are potential leaders of the company and leaders in the profession. Part of our investment in the Academy training is not just to equip our teams with practical skills but leadership training too.

Diplomas

In addition to the work we offer in-house, we also give colleagues the chance to pursue qualifications with the National Association of Funeral Directors. Our Head of Training, Peter Linford is an accredited tutor for the Association and has successfully put many candidates, both from CPJ Field and other funeral firms through their Diplomas, with several achieving the Association’s High Achiever Award!

Our Diploma training seeks to blend both classroom learning and external events such as setting up a burial at sea.