Am I too old to be a celebrant?

If you have been looking on Google for ‘ways to retrain in later life’, or ‘careers for older people,’ it’s likely you have some worries about it. Every industry is full of people who have been doing the job for many years. Entering a new market as a more mature person can be daunting. Many people share these same worries:

What if I can’t cope with the digital aspects of it?

What if I never learned how to use a computer?

How can I compete with someone who has been doing it for years?

How do I train when I haven’t done any education in decades?

How can I gain some confidence?

The good news is that some careers are perfect for people with a little bit of life experience behind them - and celebrancy is one of them. If you would like to know more about how suited you are to this career, click here to take our quiz. 

The Skills Needed For Celebrancy

When we talk about entering a career in celebrancy, there are two things to consider. First, the qualification that will give you the credentials to hold ceremonies. And secondly, the traits and qualities that people look for when choosing a celebrant for their wedding / funeral or other celebration. 

All celebrants need some common traits. Some of these are

• Empathy
• Patience 
• Active listening skills
• Conflict resolution skills
• Organisational skills
• A friendly, kind and personable manner

You can read more about the traits needed within celebrancy on our blog by clicking here. 

All of these skills can be acquired in other professions and transferred into celebrancy. For example, if you spent your life as a school teacher, you are likely to already have all of these skills. You will be used to dealing with people, speaking in public and will have a heart to help people.

Conversely, a very young person fresh out of university might not have gained the life and work experience yet to have some of these skills, and therefore might be less likely to succeed in the celebrancy market. Of course there are always exceptions to this where a young person has a natural aptitude for Celebrancy.

Life Experience Helps 

When it comes to conducting funerals, having life experience with death and grief can help you to really understand what clients need. Perhaps you lost someone close to you, or have had particular life challenges that you have had to overcome. You can use those experiences to offer more advanced empathy and help support more meaningful ceremonies as a result.  

It’s Never Too Late To Learn

When it comes to the ICPC celebrant training and the accredited qualification, we take on the attitude that it is never too late to learn something new. 

We have delegates from all walks of life come to our training sessions - including those well past retirement age. The training is built for everyone, and covers writing and delivering all types of ceremonies, along with the basics of running a small business and marketing yourself to get work.

Furthermore, we offer other training too such as a Digital Marketing course for absolute beginners. So even if you have never turned on a computer, you will know how to market yourself as a celebrant with our support. 

We would love to hear from you regardless of your age or work experience. But first, why not take our quiz to find out more about whether this is the right career path for you? Click here to be redirected to the quiz. 

Or if you feel you are completely ready - you can book your course here: