A week in Funeral: Finley’s experience

This week, we're shining a light on all the amazing work experience opportunities we offer in Retail, Funeral and our Support Centre, right across our trading estate.

We were recently delighted to welcome Finley McGoldrick for a week of work experience within our Funeral team. His thoughtful reflections offer a unique and eye-opening perspective into the breadth of work that takes place behind the scenes - highlighting not only the practical skills he developed, but also the emotional intelligence, empathy and precision the role demands. Finley’s account is a powerful reminder of the dedication, care, and professionalism that defines the funeral industry.

"At the beginning of the week I was introduced to the administrative department, in charge of organising and sourcing funeral care by acting as a direct contact to the clients. Prior to this experience, I simply thought of this department as more of a carer to collect information and help the grieving party chose their funeral care. After sitting in on a meeting between client and administrator, and observing the office, this opinion changed. I saw how the administrator had to take in all the details of the client’s personal life, the requested forms of funeral care, while also building/retaining a rapport with the grieving party. I experienced how they sourced the dates of the funeral and the resources for their care inputting it onto the system for all the other branches of the funeral care, like the coffin trim-shop, to see. On Monday I also spent some time in the trim-shop spending a short amount of time seeing the coffins being prepared for the person who has died before seeing a call go out for a collection and how rapidly colleagues have to react to an individual’s death. This highlighted the fast-paced nature of the funeral service, and the large amount of detail needed for each individual.

"On the Tuesday I spent time in the trim shop and aided in furnishing 2 coffins, under supervision, and later going out on a funeral. Through this I saw how the coffins had to be pre ordered weeks in advance and were furnished ready for the mortuary. I saw the precision of the professionals, curating the coffins furnishing to the clients requests, as inputted by the admins. I later went out on a funeral observing how the drivers approached the destinations of pickup and the mechanics of the crematorium, how the machines work with three chambers. This gave me a new perspective to the transport of the people who have died, as tradition is respected with levels of precision, maintaining a fleet and their close proximity. This displayed the need for precision and communication in this world of work, seeing how specific actions need to occur in order to provide the best service possible.

"Wednesday saw me in the logistics centre. My time here showed me how fleeting required constant communication of both worker placement and dates for funerals, while also managing administrative requests for inventory and assets. I also sat in another meeting seeing how the approach in communication with clients varies, depending on their approach to grief, with a need for a delicate form of communication for difficult subjects, while also filling in the required sheets. The meeting showed me how communication between colleagues and management is key, allowing for the operation to continue to work with grievances raised and responded to in an appropriate manner, granting solutions and allowing for input. This emphasised the need for communication within the workplace and this industry in particular, allowing for the many different components to come together and flow properly.

"Thursday I had gone out on a funeral, practice inputting information on the training system and engraving a plate. On the funeral I saw how work is constant, going on throughout, providing a positive service for the grieving, organising flowers, driving and aiding anyone with their farewells. I also went on the training system, showing the numerous boxes of information that needed inputting, the many sheets required, organised, as well as the accounting information and the need for the chasing of invoices and payments for the funeral services. I then went to engrave a plate seeing the process of engraving words through the computer, needing precise information from the system. This highlighted the constant processes needing doing, whether in a set order or requiring multitasking, the work done is required and in vast quantity.

"On Friday I spent time in the florist seeing the communication between the different branches and the organisation of each flower to receipt, seeing how the order impacts the result, with some creative flair, yet still precise in the placement and input.

"Overall, my experience here has greatly changed my view of the funeral industry as I saw and experienced the numerous different parts that as a collective form the funeral care. I learned both the practical skills of each process - like hammering a nail and the life skills required, with communication, detail, precision, empathy and constant work. My experience had also impacted my view on my life choices as, what went from simple intrigue into the industry, I have gained genuine enjoyment and interest into this industry. I previously felt quite uncertain about what I want to do in life and while I still do not know what I will do and experience, I do know I could find genuine joy in this industry which never crossed my mind.

"It has changed my perspective from being a place for people who die, to being a community so full of life and drive in providing people with the care and comfort. This experience has genuinely impacted me for the better and I am very thankful for it."