Embalmers may belong to a local Embalmer's association or the Mortuary Employees Union. They may also be members of the California Funeral Director's Association and local funeral director's associations. The following information is from the California Projections of Employment published by the Labor Market Information Division. It shows the number of Embalmers will grow slower than average through 2005. According to the State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers, there are currently about 3,500 licensed Embalmers in California.
Turnover is low, with openings occurring occasionally.
Some mortuaries report a less than adequate supply of qualified applicants to fill available openings. Officials in the industry feel that a labor pool crisis could occur in the near future because too few potential applicants are in training to serve a growing and aging population. Demand is expected to increase during the next few years as the population ages and the large number of Embalmers who entered the field following the Second World War reach retirement age. Many mortuaries provide room and board for apprentices and pay a lesser salary. Some employers offer commission pay in addition to base salaries.