Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 25th April 2024 Issue no. 1111
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I was delighted to learn this week that our industry's finally been given the go-ahead to develop detailed proposals for a Government-backed, accredited, industry-wide training programme and apprenticeship. It's been a long time coming! As you're no doubt aware, I've never understood why people involved in this industry haven't been given greater credit for the work they do... that those at the sharp end haven't actually been revered for taking on the role of cleaning up after the rest of us. I hope this recognition by the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education - that people in this industry need to be thoroughly trained and accredited - will help educate those amongst us who still believe that cleaning doesn't require any skills.
There's more about how this recognition has come about, further down the page, along with a warning by our industry's leaders of an acute shortage of cleaning staff which will negatively impact on our nation's health, wellbeing and safety - and that of our visitors, too. I'm hoping that when cleaning is finally given the same footing as other 'trades' such as plumbing, those wanting to do something other than a desk job will consider it as a well-paid option of which to be proud. After all, training and accreditation recognised nationally, rather than just by those involved in our industry, will certainly give accredited workers a passport to find employment wherever there might be a role they want and the ability to forge a worthwhile career in the business.
Of course, it's not just about the accreditation and the kudos it brings... money is crucially important too. If you missed the presentation this week at The Cleaning Show, which covered the 'Living Wage', you can learn more about it here.
It beggars belief that a cleaning supervisor would need to work 11.5-hour days and still not be able to afford anything other than a house share, don't you think? We really do need to let those buying-in our services, know how important good cleaning is, and that good cleaning doesn't come cheap just because those who know very little about it think it's something anyone can do! We must all work together on this, if the headway we've made since the start of the pandemic, is to be sustained.
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Yours,
4th November 2021