Cleaning staff attend special awards ceremony

The team that keeps the campus clean have had their own awards ceremony at the University of Huddersfield.

The first cohort of cleaning staff who have successfully embarked on what is widely regarded as the gold standard training scheme for their occupation have received certificates, handed over by Vice-Chancellor Professor Bob Cryan at an event in St Paul’s Hall, the scene of 32 graduation ceremonies over the previous fortnight.

“They were greeted by an exceptionally attractive, well-maintained and – more to the point – clean campus,” said Professor Cryan to the assembled cleaners, “and that is down to your hard work and professionalism.  Thank you for that, and for the work that you do every day to keep our campus so beautiful.”

The University has 117 cleaning operatives and over the next 12 months they will all undergo the long-established British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICS) training scheme known as the Cleaning Professionals Skills Suite.  It begins with a course named “mandatory units”, which focuses on safety issues.

Once this is passed, candidates receive a licence-to-practise card, which is a valued qualification.  Then, a further seven units are taken, dealing with specialised aspects of cleaning, including the newest technology and techniques.

The University’s Cleaning Manager, Jill Roberts, describes the BICS training as a “practical NVQ”.

“It is ideal because cleaners choose the job because they are practical people who don’t want to be behind a desk all day.  They are hands-on and they like results,” she said.

Soon after she arrived at the University, Jill decided that it should become a BICS-accredited training centre, and so three members of her staff – Mick Hall, Tracy Butters and Kay Booth – took the course that qualified them as trainers.  They received their certificates at the St Paul’s ceremony, and so did the first 16 of their trainees.

“I have set up BICS centres at other places and cleaners have found that the training makes their job easier.  Of the 16 that have done the course so far at the University, all have said I have learned something useful,” said Jill.