We’ve been celebrating our apprentices this week and taking a look at the impact they have had on our business.
As a people and planet focused business, we strive to create a workplace where knowledge-sharing thrives. Behind the scenes, we work hard on a range of projects that achieve our goal to ‘Create Better Places’, and collaborate with our communities. We’re celebrating National Apprenticeship Week and what this means for our business.
The week – running to 11th February – is an opportunity to recognise the achievements of apprenticeships around the UK. Apprenticeships are instrumental in helping young people start their careers while having a positive impact on communities, business, and economy.
Last year, we took on two incredible apprentices at Regular Cleaning who have provided an invaluable contribution to the company. We aim to provide opportunities to young people starting out their working life and support ours and our clients social value goals.
One of our long-term ambitions is to break down barriers surrounding cleaning and open up access to the industry. As experts in this field, we know just how varied roles can be, and how vital the industry is in maintaining safe and enjoyable spaces.
It’s important to us that we don’t just have strong values, but that we live and demonstrate these every day. Our values to care and make a difference drive our social value projects, so that we do this for our communities. These apprentices support not just these, but also our goals to build relationships, run a sustainable business and show respect for people. Since working at Regular Cleaning, our two apprentices have taken on these roles themselves. We’ve seen a true understanding of our vision and a demonstration of these values each day they’ve come to work.
On National Apprenticeships Week we’re celebrating these colleagues and taking a look at the impact they have had on our business and clients.
Jodie Ramirez – People Onboarding Apprentice
- Can you tell us a little about yourself and what motivated you to join Regular Cleaning as a People Onboarding Apprentice?
My name is Jodie, I’m 21 years old. My mum has been working for Regular Cleaning as a cleaning operative for almost 10 years and has always talked positively about the company. When I was in my last year of college, I decided that I was going to do an apprenticeship. However, due to COVID I wasn’t able to continue with my plans. When my mum saw the People Onboarding Apprenticeship, she immediately knew I would be interested in applying. I have always liked that apprenticeships give you the opportunity to study as you gain the experience at the workplace. - What does your role involve daily?
I tidy the careers inbox, ensuring everything is up to date and answer any queries from people looking for work. I also review applications and CVs depending on what role they’re applying for. Once we receive any new permanent vacancy, these are firstly sent to any colleague(s) at risk in case they want to take it. If not, I advertise internally by sending out an email to all internal field operative colleagues. Finally, I send it out externally by uploading these vacancies on Indeed and reaching out to all relevant external contacts via email. - Can you share a particularly memorable experience or accomplishment during your apprenticeship so far?
Attending workshops has helped me understand my assignments a lot better as they are very engaging. Being able to participate and meeting apprentices who work for companies in different sectors, has helped me complete my assignments from a wider perspective. Note-taking has also come in handy as it gives me the opportunity to look back at my notes during revision. - In what ways has your apprenticeship at Regular Cleaning contributed to your personal and professional growth?
This apprenticeship has provided with me with a lot of resources and modules. These have let me learn very useful advice and information, and helped me to improve and develop many new skills. These include becoming more confident when speaking up, giving my own opinion, and becoming more independent. Some modules have also given me guidance on how to control my nerves when carrying out a presentation, body language and facial expressions. - What challenges have you faced during your apprenticeship, and how have you overcome them?
I would say recording my time to ensure I’m up to date with my hours. It can be hard to remember how many hours you spend completing a specific task, especially if it is an ongoing assignment and requires time. I have started organising all my tasks in my calendar and planner at the beginning of each week. This allows me to visually see how long I spent on an assignment every week and it becomes easier to record my time as I have it written down or set in my calendar. - What advice would you give to someone considering an apprenticeship in the cleaning industry?
To go for it because you will see a different side of the cleaning industry and all the work that goes on behind doors. You will also be able to study and learn whilst working and receive appropriate training. Seeing and understanding the structure of a cleaning organisation will make you understand why they operate the way they do. - Given our commitment to diversity and inclusion, how do you feel your role as an apprentice supports these values?
Since I am constantly reviewing CVs and in contact with candidates as well as our field operative colleagues, I ensure everyone gets a fair interview process and experience. We don’t require cleaning experience for our cleaning roles as we provide training and don’t focus on their age, sex, education, or religion when recruiting. I want everyone to get the same opportunity and fair treatment when applying for a role, no matter their background.
Josh Cain – Sustainability Apprentice
- Can you tell us a little about yourself and what motivated you to join Regular Cleaning as a Sustainability Apprentice?
I am Joshua Cain. I have a BA Hons in fashion and textiles and I taught English in South Korea for a year before joining Regular Cleaning. I decided to apply for the position as I took several modules related to sustainability during my university studies. I wrote my dissertation on the lifecycle of fashion and sustainability practices, and decided to pursue sustainability for a job. This was because it would help to broaden my perspective on the subject more practically. I was informed of the apprenticeship by a family member and thought it would be a great start for me. This has allowed me to study alongside my job, giving me experience in an industry that I wasn’t familiar with. - What does your role involve daily?
Daily, I work on collating information and data to be used to support our work with Planet Mark [our certification partner]. For me, this is mainly to do with scope 3 emissions (e.g. carbon emissions from the production of goods we buy from our service partners), and I work with a member of Planet Mark to inform them each month of what we are doing related to this. This includes fuel usage, electricity usage and all forms of company transportation. I also communicate with all people who use company transportation. This is to track their monthly usage, as this vital data is used to support my Planet Mark submission. As I am on an apprenticeship, I also complete coursework alongside my day-to-day activities. - Can you share a particularly memorable experience or accomplishment during your apprenticeship so far?
An accomplishment is my ability to submit scope three data each quarter by myself, with little input from my manager. Also, being able to liaise with members of the Planet Mark team monthly, which I was not initially confident with. For example, I can submit all the information needed, and know who to contact when I’m lacking the information required. Another accomplishment is being able to judge what the appropriate action is when I haven’t been provided with correct information. - In what ways has your apprenticeship at Regular Cleaning contributed to your personal and professional growth?
Regular Cleaning has contributed to my personal and professional growth in how I communicate with new people, internally and externally. In my previous employment, I lived abroad and didn’t speak the dominant language, limiting my ability to build professional communication techniques. Since I joined Regular Cleaning, I have been able to grow my communication skills both verbally and in the written forms. - What challenges have you faced during your apprenticeship, and how have you overcome them?
One of the challenges I have faced during my apprenticeship has been the autonomy of working in an office. Previously, I worked in a school where the curriculum means that your work follows a set order. Working in an office is more fluid so that work is delegated and shifted depending on differing priorities. Going from having set goals to choosing my own daily tasks based on priority, has been a learning curve. On the whole, I get along with my tasks independently and the biggest hurdle has been changing from a teaching role to a more office-based one. - What advice would you give to someone considering an apprenticeship in the cleaning industry?
I would say to do your research and look into the cleaning industry and how it works. From face value you usually only see the people on site but there are lots of people who support them. In relation to doing an apprenticeship, I would say to consider that you will be working a job while studying. This means having two priorities on the day-to-day, including course work and studies. You need to keep on top of both as they have equal priorities which shouldn’t be neglected. You are an employee and a student at the same time, which should be considered when joining an apprenticeship. - Based on your experience, what changes or improvements would you like to see in the cleaning industry, particularly regarding apprenticeships and career development?
I would like to see more broad apprenticeships in the industry, involving a wider scope of roles alongside specialist ones. As a sustainability apprentice, I’m gaining knowledge on sustainability, but have gaps in my knowledge of the industry in general. I think a great improvement would be shadowing and working with multiple departments so you know which one to pursue. This would give an apprentice a better idea of how the industry works as a whole, helping them to understand the responsibilities of each department. I also think that hiring apprentices from within the business would be beneficial. This is because cleaning operatives are the backbone of the industry and know what it takes to be a cleaner. This could help build skills across the business, giving cleaning operatives access to jobs they may not have pursued otherwise. Apprenticeships mean that you don’t need all of the skills required, but can develop them along the way while being supported by experts.
Putting People First
We’re so pleased to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week in our company. It was brilliant to to hear from our apprentices, and learn what they have most enjoyed about their roles. It’s also important to discuss any challenges they have faced and how they’ve over come these since joining Regular Cleaning.
We aim to provide the skills and experience needed to start work life in the best was possible. We currently have a total of 8 colleagues in some form of apprenticeship through our business. By investing in our colleagues, we can help them to utilise courses and enhance their career. This in turn gives us colleagues with growing expertise.
We aim to provide the skills and experience needed to start work life in the best way possible. As a people focused business, we’re thrilled to be offering apprentices and work experience to people looking to begin their careers. We will continue to collaborate with our communities on projects that open up access to our industry. We strive to offer excellent guidance and invaluable experience opportunities through out apprenticeships programme.