British Cleaning Council Releases 2022 Research Report
The British Cleaning Council’s annual report gathers statistics on the cleaning, hygiene and waste sector – revealing that the industry as a whole remains one...
Read Full ArticleCleaning and hygiene sector employers, training operatives, providers and assessment organisations are being urgently encouraged to have their say on proposals for an industry-wide training programme and apprenticeship.
There is currently no apprenticeship scheme for the sector which provides the training in the technical skills needed by cleaning and hygiene operatives working outside health care.
This leaves many cleaning and hygiene sector employers with no suitable option for investing Apprenticeship Levy funds on training staff.
Consultation on proposals for the Cleaning Hygiene Operative apprenticeship opens on Wednesday 26 January and runs to Friday 18 February.
Stakeholders should visit https://britishcleaningcouncil.org/cleaning-hygiene-operative-consultation to read the proposal and use the download form to feedback on it, emailing replies to admin@britishcleaningcouncil.org by 5pm on the last day, Friday 18 February.
“This is the opportunity for all interested stakeholders to provide valuable feedback on the work that has been completed to date for the development of this much needed and anticipated apprenticeship.”
–Lauren Kyle
Head of Cleaning, Sodexo UK & Ireland
A group of industry employers and sector experts, including Sodexo, Mitie, Cleanology and ABM, sponsored by the British Cleaning Council (BCC), has developed the first draft of the much-needed training programme and apprenticeship for the sector.
Feedback from the sector is absolutely crucial for informing the proposal, which will be considered by approving body The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) in the next stage of the process.
Chair of the Trailblazer group, Head of Cleaning at Sodexo UK & Ireland, Lauren Kyle, said: “We are delighted to share that the development for the Cleaning Hygiene Operative is now moving through development after seven months of working with the IfATE.
“This is the opportunity for all interested stakeholders to provide valuable feedback on the work that has been completed to date for the development of this much needed and anticipated apprenticeship.”
BCC Chair Jim Melvin said: “The industry has continuously stated how badly we wished to utilize the Apprenticeship Levy funding and shown overwhelming support for the idea of a training and development programme aligned to, and with an apprenticeship for, the sector.
“This is a hugely important initiative, so I am overjoyed that we have reached the stage where everyone in the industry can see for themselves what is being proposed.
“It will, without doubt, assist in the removal of any ‘low skilled’ perceptions that remain or that are levelled at the industry despite the fact that they completely incorrect.
“I cannot encourage all of our collective industry stakeholders strongly enough to please review these published proposals and supply feedback on them to help ensure the best possible Cleaning Hygiene Operative apprenticeship is developed.
“Arguably, this is a prime example of the unified and collective approach that we have been talking about.
“For clarity, it is now simply within our hands, every last one of us, to ensure that we can use the highly significant amounts of money that currently go to government without industry use in order to develop the skills of our superb teams. Please do not miss the opportunity. “
Picture: a photograph of two people in full PPE cleaning a vertical surface. One is wiping the surface and the other is holding a spray bottle. Image Credit: Shutterstock
Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 26 January 2022
The British Cleaning Council’s annual report gathers statistics on the cleaning, hygiene and waste sector – revealing that the industry as a whole remains one...
Read Full ArticleThe Sodexo cleaning team on one of the UK's busiest COVID wards has won an award from the Association of Healthcare Cleaning Professionals. The...
Read Full ArticleThe British Cleaning Council research report for 2021 shows that the cleaning, hygiene and waste sector is one of the UK’s top ten industries. The...
Read Full ArticleA resignation note from an HSBC cleaner has led to several messages of support on social media for the nation’s cleaning staff, including a personal thanks from the...
Read Full ArticleWith the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the cleaning sector inaugurated, how do the facilities managers who employ cleaners feel about the vaccine debate? The Joint...
Read Full ArticleSuella Braverman’s speech at the National Conservatism conference has failed to recognise staff shortages in the cleaning industry, says the British Cleaning...
Read Full ArticleBESA is marking National Apprenticeship Week 2023 by encouraging employers to pledge to take on at least one new apprentice this year. Recent government research found...
Read Full ArticleMPs are recommending a series of measures to prepare the UK for future public health emergencies, resulting from an inquiry into the role of cleaning during the COVID-19...
Read Full ArticleThe industry body that represents the cleaning and hygiene sector fears its workers will struggle to keep public spaces free of viruses if staff shortages...
Read Full ArticleOn 16 September, i-Recognise Day will celebrate the contribution of cleaning staff across the globe. The sole purpose of the day is to raise the profile of the...
Read Full Article