Toowoomba funeral home Burstow’s needs more workers as industry reports regional shortfall

It’s an industry with a variety of different positions and a pathway to a career. But this Toowoomba business says workers are hardly lining up.

Burstows co-director Don Burstow with his daughter multimedia specialist Laura Gordon, Tuesday, May 25, 2021. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Don Burstow knows how rewarding a career the funeral services sector can be, but he’s continuously struggling to find employees who feel the same way.

The longtime co-director of family-run Toowoomba business Burstow’s says he has a large number of vacancies at the funeral home, which has four locations across southern Queensland.

Tired of a lacklustre response from traditional places to list like on Seek, Mr Burstow said he would be running an information session next week to attract potential workers for a variety of positions.

“In recent years, up to the last two years, recruitment has been more challenging than it has in the past,” he said.

“I’m not sure if it’s a lack of interest, but I tend to think I’ve got to be more proactive than just putting positions on Seek.”

The vacant positions include more traditional roles like in funeral planning, alongside jobs in graphic design and multimedia.

Mr Burstow said residents might not be aware how many different roles were required to make a funeral home function.

“People probably don’t think of funeral services as a place to pursue a vocation, but there are quite a lot of opportunities,” he said.

“I think obviously our sector is closely related to death, and it’s a natural thing for humans to be repelled by anything associated with it.

“But when people learn about it, they can think differently.”

Mr Burstow said potential workers needed compassion for people in mourning, as well as attention to detail.

Australian Funeral Directors Association president Adrian Barrett backed up Mr Burstow’s view, saying the employee shortfall was more prominent in regional centres.

“Certainly in regional areas, it seems to be becoming harder to get people,” he said.

“If people are willing to take up jobs in the regions then there are a lot of opportunities.”

The information session will be held at Burstow’s on Ruthven St on Wednesday June 2 from 6.30pm.

To book a spot, send an email to [e-mail].