The decision is the result of a lack of available training for council workers.
Peterlee Town Council contacted East Durham College requesting a course for its parks department's grounds staff after seeing many employees retiring or moving on.
The council's parks supervisor Brendan Arnell said: "We identified that we had a training need to up-skill our workforce in grave digging."
East Durham College grounds manager David Miller will help teach the course.
"It's very demanding work, carried out in all weathers," Miller said. "But it can be very rewarding."
The first course, which will be a unit of the Local Environment Services course in the Horticulture Department, is planned for January. Trainees will be taught specialist skills over four days.
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