Bridging the skills gap
March 09th 2006

Asset Skills, the Sector Skills Council for the cleaning industry has been working closely with employers and their representative bodies to identify and deliver solutions to skills and training gaps within the industry.

Recruitment and retention of staff is the top concern for many employers. The cleaning industry faces stiff competition for front line staff from other fields such as retails, Graduate recruits and potential managers are in short supply.The minimum wage legislation continues to define the employment landscape for cleaning organisations.With the increased cost of labour, the skills for cleaning operatives and the service they deliver is now paramount.

The cleaning industry continues to employ many people for whom English is not a first language.This has become a core issue as HSE interaction with employers has revealed gaps in the provision of training that enables cleaning operatives to understand the instructions given to them. Other legislation has had a big effect on the industry. The new Working at Height regulations defines operational concerns to many of those in the window cleaning industry.As a result the skills involved in carrying out risk assessments are vital.

With Asset Secure, the new on-line risk assessment programme, companies will be able to quickly and easily implement health and safety risk assessments, enabling them to effectively protect their company, clients and employees. The web based Asset Secure programme is the perfect entry-level product for small and medium size businesses. Asset Secure is designed to help organisations fulfill their legal obligations by assessing the risks associated with their industry and business to help protect their staff, clients, customers and facilities.

The Asset Secure online service provides step by step guidance on planning and producing risk assessments with modules tailored to meet industry specific needs.

Companies covering more than one discipline can choose the modules which are relevant to them.

In addition many employers are wrestling with the impending Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment).TUPE is being extended to contract service provider, making previously widespread good practice a legal requirement.

To answer such diverse requirements, we now sit on the Cleaning Liaison Group of the HSE. Alongside employers, and other industry organisations, we help develop solutions for Health and Safety challenges facing the cleaning industry. We have also delivered a specialised risk assessment CD for employers focusing on smaller and micro-employers.

The profile of many employers within the cleaning industry means that we have a nursery for many cross sector skills developments. In association with the BCC, BICSc, CSSA and employers we have quickly established the “Skills Passport” (The Pathway Card) and focused on employability.The credit card sized CV enables employers to make a quick and effective check of potential applicants’career and training history,whilst also recording induction training, including health and safety. This gives peace of mind to clients and employers knowing that staff employed to do the work have a working knowledge of health and safety, and how to put it into practice.

The innovative way in which an individuals record of achievement and training history is held on line,mean that if the card is lost or stolen, the details and information cannot be used by a third party,opening up opportunities for the card to also be used as a company ID, making the relatively low cost of the card even more attractive. With an employee’s career and training history in one easily accessible place, Companies are reaping the benefits of savings to training budgets, with the reduction of multiple training sessions being undertaken by new recruits.

Looking to the future, Asset Skills will improve access to qualifications within the cleaning industry. These may pertain to development of supervisory or management roles, relate to transfers in other aspects of the cleaning sector,or enable a move to other industries. Our strategy is to establish the cleaning industry as an employer of choice rather then default. Qualifications in desirable skills and clear pathways to improved career prospects are hallmarks of such industries.

Asset Skills,Sector Specialist,Bev Yates concludes “our close liaison with employers who act as pathfinders for new initiatives will be vital in developing the sector as a first choice career.Throughout these partnerships,Asset Skills is implementing schemes to answer employers’ needs and promote the cleaning industry to new employees”.

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