As a crematorium technician, you will take care of and help run the crematorium and also perform cremations. You may help a person's family plan the cremation and any related service as well. To become a crematorium technician, you must meet basic requirements and become certified. You can earn additional and advanced certifications as well.

Working as a Crematorium Technician

As a crematorium technician, you are responsible for scheduling crematory activities, maintaining the crematory's records and documents, maintaining crematory equipment, ordering urns and other supplies, and taking care of the interior and grounds of the crematory. Some crematorium technicians may help transport the body to the crematory, get the permits, authorizations and permissions necessary to cremate the body, and return the remains to the person's family.

Meeting Basic Requirements

To become a crematorium technician, you must have a high school diploma or GED and a working knowledge of cremation- and crematory-related rules and regulations. You must also be able to communicate effectively and have a willingness and ability to earn the certification required to operate crematory equipment.

Earning Required Certification

The Cremation Association of North America (CANA) offers certification programs for cremation arrangers and operators. Both of these programs include one day of seminars that lasts about 7.5 hours, which is followed by a 45-question certification exam. You will learn how to safely operate, maintain and troubleshoot a crematorium. In order to receive CANA certification, you must earn at least an 80 percent on the certification exam. CANA may be the gold standard for earning certification, but other organizations provide certification training as well, such as the North Carolina Funeral Directors Association, which offers trainings throughout the year in different cities.

Earning Advanced Certification

To earn senior certification, you must take an 8.5-hour CANA certification course, have between five and 10 years of documented experience or have performed at least 5,000 cremations, take a 60- or 65-question certification exam, and receive at least an 80 percent on that exam. To earn master certification, you must take an 8.5-hour CANA certification course, have more than 10 years of documented experience or have performed more than 10,000 cremations, take a 65- or 70-question certification exam, and receive at least an 80 percent on the exam.