SBFM Joins 5% Club
SBFM has pledged to increase the number of employees in “earn and learn” positions over the next five years. The soft FM service provider has joined the...
Read Full ArticleFacilicom's managing director, Jan Hein Hemke is opinionated when it comes to the issue of apprentices and the need to look beyond the traditional routes to employment.
This year's National Apprenticeship Week (3-9 February), asked employers to look at the way we hire talent and take the opportunity to showcase the diversity of opportunities and industries available to young people today.
"Today, young people are faced with an overwhelming choice of career opportunities and I imagine, just like my younger self, a career in cleaning isn’t always on the radar."
– Jan Hein Hemke
MD, Facilicom UK & Ireland
I took a traditional route into work. I studied at university and it wasn’t until I had the opportunity to test out the industry, with a placement at Rentokil as part of my dissertation, that I realised what a vibrant and vital profession it was.
Since that work placement, I’ve never looked back and have been lucky enough to enjoy a rewarding career in the cleaning and facilities sector for over twenty-five years. However, it still saddens me to see the inaccurate reputation the industry has gained for being low skilled and low paid, which often puts off new talent from entering the field.
In reality, professional cleaning has a major impact on a business’s operations and reputation. What many people outside our industry don’t see is the value that our people bring and the opportunities they have to learn new skills and progress. It really is a lifelong career choice, with the opportunity to grow at every stage.
Apprenticeships are a great way into the world of opportunities offered by the cleaning and FM industry. They provide a unique way for somebody to combine training and education with real-life, hands-on experience. It is a chance to embark on a career and learn on the job, whilst earning a salary.
Apprenticeships make sense on several levels for Facilicom. As well as making a profit, our business goals include contributing to general prosperity and playing a positive role in society. Giving people their first step on the career ladder or a chance to try out a new industry is an important part of that.
It also benefits the sector as a whole. Offering apprenticeships is an excellent route to reach a generation that might not otherwise have considered a career in cleaning. If we want our businesses to be somewhere that people are proud to work, then giving them the opportunity to experience it first-hand could make a real difference.
We have had several colleagues join us via apprenticeship schemes and are delighted with the progress they have made. We work with them to identify their talent and ability and then nurture them through training and learning and development opportunities, enabling them to work safely and respect the environment in which they operate, as well as carving out a career that makes them happy and motivated.
We’re always on the lookout for people with the attitude and skills to thrive in cleaning, facilities and security. From our apprenticeships and learning and development programmes, to our international training scheme for high potential groups, we have put the initiatives in place to support and develop our colleagues, so that they can enjoy a long and rewarding career.
If you know a young person that might be interested in learning more about a career with Facilicom, send them this link: www.facilicom.co.uk/about-facilicom/careers
Picture: Article author.
Article written by Jan Hein Hemke | Published 20 February 2020
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