The IAFD Code of Practice contains a commitment to provide full training for staff with a view to improving the quality of service provided. The Funeral Directing Certificate Award (FDCA) is an educational course designed and delivered by the IAFD to provide a combination of formal classroom and practical based training to meet the needs of Funeral Directors and to ensure that members of the Association provide the highest standard of service to their clients. This course is specifically designed for the purpose of training and upskilling those working within the funeral profession and requires that each candidate has at least six months of active experience within an IAFD member firm.
The course is usually run every 12 to 18 months depending on demand. For further information please contact the IAFD Educational Officer at education@iafd.ie
The Funeral Directing Certificate Award class of 2020 / 2021 completed their course in May 2021. As with the rest of the globe, the events of the past year forced us online but, despite several months of poor data coverage, freezing screens and domestic interruptions, the verdict is unanimous; the course has been an educational, beneficial and enjoyable experience.
While we sincerely hope for a more “normal” national situation before our next course commences, we might continue with some of the online aspects. They have certainly proved convenient, time saving and efficient.
However, the comradery and sociability of the classroom environment with face-to-face discussion, the group interaction, the role-play and the sharing of ideas, innovations and skills has been missed. While new friendships have formed through this year’s course, we look forward to a time when we can meet, interact and participate in the FDCA in person.