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Industrial cleaner apprenticeships

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Industrial cleaner apprenticeships - where to start

You can get into this job through

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly
  • specialist courses offered by a professional body


    • College

    You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Relevant courses include: 

    • Level 1 Award in Cleaning 
    • Level 2 Certificate in Cleaning Principles
    You'll usually need 2 or fewer GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 (D to G), or equivalent, for a Level 1 course. You'll need 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a Level 2 course. 

    Apprenticeship
    You could specialise in working in hospitals and medical centres by doing a healthcare cleaning operative Level 2 apprenticeship. You'll usually need some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent. 

    Direct Application
    There are no set requirements if you want to apply directly for jobs, but previous cleaning experience would be useful. 

    Other Routes
    You can do specialist training through The British Institute of Cleaning Science. You'll need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent to train and work on a construction site. A driving licence might be useful for this type of job.

    Industrial cleaner apprenticeships - what it takes

    Skills and knowledge

    You'll need: 

    • the ability to use your initiative
    • to be thorough and pay attention to detail 
    • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations 
    • sensitivity and understanding 
    • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure 
    • ambition and a desire to succeed
    • excellent verbal communication skills 
    • customer service skills 
    • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
    Restrictions and Requirements
    You'll need to be able to cope with working at height

    Industrial cleaner apprenticeships - what you'll do

    Day-to-day tasks

    You could: 

    • wash out boilers, tanks and vats with high pressure hoses 
    • remove dust and ash with industrial vacuuming equipment 
    • decontaminate work areas and machinery 
    • mix cleaning chemicals in the correct amounts 
    • sandblast the outsides of building and structures
    • work from cradles or mobile access platforms to reach higher levels 
    • safely store cleaning equipment and dispose of hazardous waste
    • clean and disinfect areas following strict standards and procedures 
    • remove graffiti 
    • report potential hazards to supervisors
    Working environment
    You could work in a prison, at a school, in an NHS or private hospital, at a power station, in a factory or on a construction site. Your working environment may be at height and cramped. You may need to wear protective clothing.

    Career path and progression - Industrial cleaner apprenticeships

    With experience, you could become a team supervisor. You could also set up your own company to specialise in a particular type of cleaning, like flood relief or biohazards.

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    Considering an Apprenticeship?

    There are lots of benefits to apprenticeships, here are our top 5:

    Paid Training

    Not only will your organisation (or the Government) pay for all of your training, but you’ll be paid to do it. That means you could actually get paid to get your degree and have no debt!

    Range of career opportunities

    There are over 625 different apprenticeships to choose from, in a range of industries. Whether you’re interested in law, marketing, construction, or engineering, you’ll find something up your street!

    Earn & learn

    As an apprentice, the minimum you’ll earn is £6.20 an hour, but we’ve seen apprentices earn a starting salary of up to £30,000 a year! You could also get other employee benefits like gym memberships, paid holiday, and sick pay.

    Great career prospects

    Employers think apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualifications. In fact, many large employers train their graduates and apprentices together!

    Learn on the job

    There’s only so much you can learn when you just do a qualification. As an apprentice, you’ll also get to learn on the job – whether that’s designing amazing graphics, chopping vegetables, or building engines!

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