A.W. Lymn celebrate 20 years of its trainee programme

Nottinghamshire’s largest independent funeral directors, A.W. Lymn The Family Funeral Service, is celebrating 20 years since the launch of its trainee programme. The trainee programme was designed to offer the opportunity to gain five qualifications to kick-start a career in the funeral industry. Since it was launched in 2001, the programme has reportedly “gained prominence” as the cost of university education has increased and unemployment levels have risen, said the company. The four-year residential course offers the chance to work in each department of the business, ranging from fleet maintenance to the mortuary and is open to those with at least two A-Level passes or equivalent. The programme offers placements in eight areas of the A.W. Lymn business, including funeral arranging and directing, stone masonry, floristry, coffin preparation, mortuary, fleet maintenance, driver/bearer and administration. At the end of the programme, trainees will apply their learning at one of the funeral homes in the business. One of the programme’s first trainees is still working for the business 20 years later. Jonathan Baker, now aged 38, said: “I am extremely thankful for the experience the trainee programme has provided me with, and for further igniting my passion for the funeral industry. “Being given the chance to experience every aspect of the business you can then go on to work in whatever department suits you best – there are so many opportunities.” Pete Clarson, commercial director who oversees the trainees, said: “We are so proud to be celebrating 20 years of our trainee programme – and what a ride it’s been! We originally put the programme together to offer more choices to those looking for alternative career choices other than attending university. “It has certainly been a learning curve throughout the years and the programme has been tweaked along the journey to better suit the needs of our trainees, but we are very proud of how far we’ve come and the number of individuals we’ve helped kick-start a career in our profession.”