Interning at funeral home: Students may benefit from attachments unrelated to future careers

[SGMCF328]

Future @RadX in the training? Really his choice or there's no choice? Or maybe he (and his parents) wanted to know if the industry is really that lubricative or has plan to start one.

What's next, internship at Geylang? I bet @Jamesc and @Inlinefour will fast hand fast leg go and sign up for a diploma or degree course using their Skillsfuture credits to secure their internship. Hahahaha

But on a serious note, as a parent, would you support your kid if he or she decided to take up an internship in the funeral industry? I wouldn't, especially when their experience will be listed in the resume for their first few job after they graduated. I am not superstitious, just that I don't see any value add when taking up internship at funeral industry.

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/parenting-education/interning-at-a-funeral-home-students-may-benefit-from-attachments-not-related-to-future-careers

SINGAPORE – When Marco Chua had to pick a company for a work experience programme organised by his school in 2022, he decided on a funeral home as he was curious about what went on behind the scenes.

Even though he had no plans to go into that industry, he was eager to see what soft skills he could learn.

While some students might shy away from an industry dealing with death as they feel it is taboo, he says he felt comfortable during his two-week internship at The Life Celebrant Funeral Home as he often had conversations with his parents about death.

"My parents are open-minded and feel that any sort of work experience is good. They felt that the experience could be educational for me," says the 18-year-old, who graduated from Yishun Innova Junior College (YIJC) in 2023.

YIJC's head of department for humanities, Mrs Renee Low, says the college tries to include some unconventional attachment options to show students the breadth of possibilities that exists in the world of work.

"By observing how funerals are planned and executed, students will learn the various skills required of event managers. They will also learn about the social and emotional support that grieving families usually need," she says.

Marco says he was involved in the logistics for setting up a funeral wake and accompanied bereaved families to the columbarium.

"I learnt about the process for sending off a deceased person. It taught me that things are not as easy as they seem and the people who are working put in a lot of hard work," he adds.

He says he picked up logistics and communication skills through his work attachment which can be applied to his future job and even in his daily life.

"I learnt to be more understanding towards others as I had to be able to speak to people who were grieving and be careful with my words. This helped me to to communicated better with others," adds Marco, who hopes to be an engineer.

[Benarsenal]

Internship won't be on resume lah. I did my internship at M1, I never ever mentioned it when applying for job.

What's wrong with funeral industry anyway? He did mention can learn how to deal with people, and logistics and event planning. All those are useful skills.

Edited January 22 by Benarsenal

[Stary]

On 1/22/2024 at 2:41 PM, Benarsenal said:

Internship won't be on resume lah. I did my internship at M1, I never ever mentioned it when applying for job.

What's wrong with funeral industry anyway? He did mention can learn how to deal with people, and logistics and event planning. All those are useful skills.

Yeap, I never include my uni intern into my first resume either.

I think intern at a funeral parlour is not a bad idea.......it teaches the  teen to stay grounded, be humble and life can be fragile, so don't take health or risk for granted. It also ingrain empathy into the teen, and this quality is important in developing his/her EQ  for their future career.

Edited January 22 by Starry

[13177]

Most people would think for internship, better to choose the industry related to what you are studying, so that it would be beneficial in your future job hunt, who know the company might offer you to work in their company after your internship and graduation. So, i understand why some parents would not support and encourage their kids to take up an internship in unrelated industry.

[Vegas]

this industry need support fm many divine sources

[inlinesix]

On 1/22/2024 at 2:41 PM, Benarsenal said:

Internship won't be on resume lah. I did my internship at M1, I never ever mentioned it when applying for job.

What's wrong with funeral industry anyway? He did mention can learn how to deal with people, and logistics and event planning. All those are useful skills.

Nowadays, internship is very important.

It is a differentiator btw applicant A and B

[Jman888]

i like the idea, good experience at least you know where you will end up at.

[Jamesc]

On 1/22/2024 at 2:02 PM, SGMCF328 said:

What's next, internship at Geylang? I bet @Jamesc and @Inlinefour will fast hand fast leg go and sign up for a diploma or degree course using their Skillsfuture credits to secure their internship. Hahahaha

I already have my WSQ certificate ok!

You think I masak masak kind of professional the rapist huh?

I got skills and qualifications ok!

Don't anyhow anyhow say say!

[Jamesc]

Interns are cheap labour.

Every company should use them.

And some of them are very pretty!

[macrosszero]

I had the unpleasant experience of needing to deal with one of RadX’s peers and learned a lot even as a service buyer. Don’t get me wrong, service was professional, understanding and top notch in every conceivable way so they made it as easy and stress free as could be expected under the circumstances. In talking to the staff, most were mid-career switchers doing something they felt was meaningful. Where there is life there must be death. We should not treat it like a taboo topic and pretend it doesn’t exist. Same goes for a career in the line.

[RadX]

On 1/22/2024 at 9:06 PM, Macrosszero said:

I had the unpleasant experience of needing to deal with one of RadX’s peers and learned a lot even as a service buyer. Don’t get me wrong, service was professional, understanding and top notch in every conceivable way so they made it as easy and stress free as could be expected under the circumstances. In talking to the staff, most were mid-career switchers doing something they felt was meaningful. Where there is life there must be death. We should not treat it like a taboo topic and pretend it doesn’t exist. Same goes for a career in the line.

Well said bro.

it is a calling and not everyone can do it. In fact there is a shortage of such professionals and it is good that many young ones are not afraid to venture here.

 

imagine @ER-3682 ur body handled by robots next time no more human beings and suay ur body end up semakau😂

 

but again, not for everyone and those who want to get in, would need to be cleared of any potential baggage’. I know of a few who had and on the first day, cried and never returned 

[Benarsenal]

You need to be mentally strong enough to handle. I'd say if you can handle working in this industry, anything outside is easy peasy in comparison.

[RadX]

On 1/22/2024 at 4:23 PM, Jamesc said:

I already have my WSQ certificate ok!

You think I masak masak kind of professional the rapist huh?

I got skills and qualifications ok!

Don't anyhow anyhow say say!

They teach u calculator bo?

[RadX]

On 1/22/2024 at 2:02 PM, SGMCF328 said:

Future @RadX in the training? Really his choice or there's no choice? Or maybe he (and his parents) wanted to know if the industry is really that lubricative or has plan to start one.

What's next, internship at Geylang? I bet @Jamesc and @Inlinefour will fast hand fast leg go and sign up for a diploma or degree course using their Skillsfuture credits to secure their internship. Hahahaha

But on a serious note, as a parent, would you support your kid if he or she decided to take up an internship in the funeral industry? I wouldn't, especially when their experience will be listed in the resume for their first few job after they graduated. I am not superstitious, just that I don't see any value add when taking up internship at funeral industry.

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/parenting-education/interning-at-a-funeral-home-students-may-benefit-from-attachments-not-related-to-future-careers

SINGAPORE – When Marco Chua had to pick a company for a work experience programme organised by his school in 2022, he decided on a funeral home as he was curious about what went on behind the scenes.

Even though he had no plans to go into that industry, he was eager to see what soft skills he could learn.

While some students might shy away from an industry dealing with death as they feel it is taboo, he says he felt comfortable during his two-week internship at The Life Celebrant Funeral Home as he often had conversations with his parents about death.

"My parents are open-minded and feel that any sort of work experience is good. They felt that the experience could be educational for me," says the 18-year-old, who graduated from Yishun Innova Junior College (YIJC) in 2023.

YIJC's head of department for humanities, Mrs Renee Low, says the college tries to include some unconventional attachment options to show students the breadth of possibilities that exists in the world of work.

"By observing how funerals are planned and executed, students will learn the various skills required of event managers. They will also learn about the social and emotional support that grieving families usually need," she says.

Marco says he was involved in the logistics for setting up a funeral wake and accompanied bereaved families to the columbarium.

"I learnt about the process for sending off a deceased person. It taught me that things are not as easy as they seem and the people who are working put in a lot of hard work," he adds.

He says he picked up logistics and communication skills through his work attachment which can be applied to his future job and even in his daily life.

"I learnt to be more understanding towards others as I had to be able to speak to people who were grieving and be careful with my words. This helped me to to communicated better with others," adds Marco, who hopes to be an engineer.

Eh simisai “LUBRICATIVE”.

 

wrong industry la kns… but I see you had a Freudian slip there.😂

[Jamesc]

A professional massage therapist don't need calculators.

We use our fingers to do everything.

On 1/23/2024 at 6:43 AM, RadX said:

They teach u calculator bo?

 

Edited January 22 by Jamesc

[Playtime]

On 1/22/2024 at 9:06 PM, Macrosszero said:

In talking to the staff, most were mid-career switchers doing something they felt was meaningful. 

Strangely that was what I tot too when I read ... a mid career switch.

[Watwheels]

Will this industry see a boom in the coming years? We are looking at a fast aging population. It also requires the living to handle the dead, cant get robots or machines or automation to do the handling. But like any industry there are cons to it. It's not a 9-5 job. If you work at a palour, it's 24/7. No weekends or public holidays to speak of. Might have to work shifts. Face corpses on a daily basis. It is good money but it comes at a price. It's not for everyone. Can be quite depressing be it short or long term.

Whatever you read on media are only the good stuff. You only pick up skills if you are given the opportunity and responsibilities. In other words you will only learn when you are the one doing it. If that opportunity isnt given you learn nothing much. What are the chances ppl will give an intern much responsibility? I read with pinch a salt what the above article said. Always be prepared to do menial tasks that nobody wants to do. 

[SGMCF328]

On 1/23/2024 at 6:44 AM, RadX said:

Eh simisai “LUBRICATIVE”.

 

wrong industry la kns… but I see you had a Freudian slip there.😂