Qualification Outline

Date retreived
21/07/2026 11:42 PM AWST

Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.

Certificate IV in Embalming

Certificate IV in Embalming

Qualification
National Code:
SIF40213
State Code:
J614
TGA Status:
Current
DTWD Status:
Approved
National Endorsed, State Implementation and Classification
Field of Education
1103 - Personal Services
Original TGA Release Date
10/10/2013
Approved Date
20/04/2022
Stream of Study
Initial Vocational (3100 - 3600)
VET Act Classifier
B
Nominal Hours
830
Duration
2 Semesters
Current Release Number
5.00
Current Release Date
13/08/2025
VET Act Conditions
Releases
Release Version Release Date TGA Status DTWD Status
5.00 13/08/2025 Current Approved
4.00 04/04/2022 Replaced Approved
3.00 18/03/2021 Replaced Approved
2.00 09/07/2015 Replaced Approved
1.00 10/10/2013 Replaced Approved
Description

This qualification reflects the role of individuals who perform a range of specialised embalming procedures in a mortuary or funeral home mortuary.
Individuals in this role work relatively autonomously and may have limited responsibility for the coordination, training and supervision of others.
Embalmers require theoretical knowledge in anatomy, physiology, chemistry and biology as well as specialist technical skills to sanitise, present and preserve a deceased person of predictable and unpredictable causes as part of the embalming process.
 
There are 0 minimum work placement hours required for this unit.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this qualification at the time of publication, however, the following requirement applies to the embalming of bodies in NSW:
Under a NSW public health regulation relating to the disposal of bodies, a person must not embalm a body unless that person has a certificate of proficiency of, or equivalent to, a Certificate IV [Embalming] standard issued by an institute approved by the Director-General of the NSW Department of Health. Candidates in NSW should seek advice from the NSW Department of Health for a current list of approved providers.
The volume of learning of a Certificate IV is typically 0.5 - 2 years.

Schedule
Packaging Rules
Twenty two (22) units must be completed:
- nineteen (19) core units
- three (3) elective units consisting of:
- a minimum of two (2) elective units must be selected from the elective units list
- a maximum of one (1) elective unit, first packaged at AQF level 3, 4 or 5, may be selected from elsewhere in SIF Funeral Services Training Package, or any other current Training Package or accredited course. Refer to the AQF packaging of Funeral Services units in the Companion Volume Implementation Guide.

In all cases, selection of electives must be guided by the job outcome, local industry requirements and the characteristics of this qualification (as per the AQF descriptors).
1. Core Units

All nineteen (19) units must be completed

State Code National Code Title Hours Type
WG912 SIFEMWK009 Apply anatomy and physiology principles to embalming 50 Unit of competency
WG607 SIFEMWK005 Cleanse and disinfect deceased persons 20 Unit of competency
WG633 SIFXIND003 Deal with grief responses 40 Unit of competency
WG916 SIFEMWK013 Determine embalming requirements 30 Unit of competency
WG610 SIFEMWK008 Dress the deceased and apply cosmetics 50 Unit of competency
WG603 SIFEMWK001 Encoffin deceased persons 10 Unit of competency
WG611 SIFEWHS001 Follow mortuary work health and safety procedures 25 Unit of competency
WG649 SIFXWHS004 Implement and monitor infection and contamination control practices 20 Unit of competency
WG918 SIFEMWK015 Perform arterial embalming of autopsied cases 65 Unit of competency
WG917 SIFEMWK014 Perform arterial embalming of natural cases 65 Unit of competency
WG915 SIFEMWK012 Restore and set eyes after eye donations 15 Unit of competency
WG913 SIFEMWK010 Restore minor body damage 60 Unit of competency
WG608 SIFEMWK006 Set facial features 20 Unit of competency
WG921 SIFEMWK018 Supervise mortuary operations 40 Unit of competency
WG609 SIFEMWK007 Treat abdominal and thoracic cavities 60 Unit of competency
WG919 SIFEMWK016 Treat complex ante mortem cases 45 Unit of competency
WG920 SIFEMWK017 Treat complex post mortem cases 45 Unit of competency
WG914 SIFEMWK011 Treat the head and body after autopsies 50 Unit of competency
WG632 SIFXIND002 Work effectively in the funeral services industry 25 Unit of competency
2. Elective Units

At least two (2) of the three (3) units required must be chosen from the elective units list.
Please refer to the Training Package for the full details of available options.

State Code National Code Title Hours Type
WG623 SIFXADQ001 Control and order goods 35 Unit of competency
WG606 SIFEMWK004 Coordinate mortuary operations 40 Unit of competency
WG635 SIFXMGT001 Coordinate teams 20 Unit of competency
WG922 SIFEMWK019 Design a mortuary 50 Unit of competency
WG640 SIFXMPR002 Make presentations to community groups 40 Unit of competency
WG634 SIFXIND004 Participate in industry networks 20 Unit of competency
WG641 SIFXMPR003 Prepare and conduct tours 40 Unit of competency
OCD30 HLTAID011 Provide First Aid 18 Unit of competency
OEM01 TAEDEL311 Provide work skill instruction 40 Unit of competency
WG612 SIFEWHS002 Review and develop mortuary work health and safety policies and procedures 30 Unit of competency
WG637 SIFXMGT003 Supervise staff 35 Unit of competency
Replaces
State Code National Code Title Type
D341 SIF40208 Certificate IV in Embalming Qualification
VET Info Notes
This is a sample program for the qualification code SIF40213 taken from the Funeral Services Training Package SIF v2 which should be consulted for a full description of requirements.

1. This qualification is the copyright of Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

2. Further information on this qualification is contained in the training Package available from the National Register Training.gov.au.

3. This qualification was entered onto STARS on 9/12/2013.
Entry Requirements

N/A

Traineeships and Apprenticeships
(TR10730) FUNERAL SERVICES (EMBALMER) (LEVEL 4) Traineeship

Part-time is defined as a minimum of 20 hours per week.