More and more young people in the region are choosing a job in the funeral industry. They also notice this at Van der Stappen in Eindhoven. 18-year-old Brittany and 21-year-old Ebony take care of the deceased and drive around in a hearse.
“I get a lot of reactions about how great it is that I do this at 21, Ebony says. Bereaved often find it difficult to get used to seeing someone so young assisting them, she says. But afterwards she always gets compliments and that makes her feel good. And while the work is not only rewarding, according to Brittany, it is also varied. “Every day we see different people, emotions and we perform different tasks”.
Growth
Ebony and Brittany are not the only ones. The group of young employees is growing. The large DELA funeral company in Eindhoven saw the number of employees under 25 grow by a third in almost five years. And at the Eindhoven Van der Stappen funerals they see the same trend. “More and more young people have started working here in recent years.”
The work can be very diverse. For example, taking care of the deceased, transporting the deceased with the hearse, but also police reports are part of it. “I always remember the first suicide of someone my age”, Brittany explains. Reality hit her hard then.
Solutions
According to the employees, this work is not for everyone. “You have to be creative and think in solutions”, Brittany says.
After a day’s work in the funeral industry, the two young women go home with a satisfied feeling. “I sometimes take the work home with me, but I don’t mind. If I do mind, I have several people here who can help me”.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Bob
