Embalmers prepare bodies for burial in conformity with legal requirements.
May include washing the body with germicidal soap, shaving the body, replacing the blood with a preservative fluid, applying cosmetics to give the body a natural appearance, and, if necessary restoring disfigured features. They also dress the body and place it in the casket selected by the family. An Embalmer must complete a certificate or degree program at a school or college of mortuary science and must have served two years as an apprentice under a licensed embalmer. There were approximately 730 Embalmers employed in 1996. An average of 37 jobs are available each year.