building your community

Introduction

Traditionally, caretakers have been responsible for a building - such as a block of flats, a town hall or a community centre. There are still many jobs of this type, but increasingly, local authorities are employing mobile caretakers, who provide a service at a number of different sites.

The emphasis of the work varies. Some caretakers spend the majority of their time cleaning, whilst in other jobs there is more emphasis on the ‘handyperson’ aspects of caretaking - mending broken windows and carrying out minor repairs to paintwork, plumbing and electrical fittings. The amount of time spent on security duties - such as controlling access to a building or patrolling an estate - will also vary.

Work Environment

Housing caretakers work on council estates (including multi-storey blocks). Caretakers working in other community services may be responsible for a facility like a town hall, civic building, youth and community centre, play centre or leisure centre. Mobile caretakers travel to a number of different sites.

The majority of work is indoors, but many jobs involve some outdoor work.

Cleaning and repair work involve bending and kneeling. Some lifting may be required.

Work wear includes overalls, protective footwear and gloves. Employers may provide uniforms.

Full-time hours are 37 per week. Many part-time posts are offered. Hours can be unsocial, involving evening and weekend work, but some posts offer regular hours, Monday to Friday.

Daily Activities

Housing caretakers are responsible for maintenance and security. Their tasks can include:

• carrying out basic repairs - e.g. unblocking taps, replacing broken windows, repairing damaged paintwork
• maintaining security by patrolling the site and/or monitoring security equipment (such as closed-circuit TV)
• reporting incidents, such as violence or vandalism, to the police
• monitoring the use of the premises by tenants, visitors and outside contractors
• cleaning communal areas
• maintaining the grounds and removing litter.

Caretakers responsible for other community services, like town halls, civic buildings or youth and community centres, are responsible for maintenance, security and cleaning. They also unlock the building before use and lock up afterwards. They may take bookings. Mobile caretakers provide caretaking services at a number of different sites. They work from specially equipped vans. To some extent caretakers can plan their own work, deciding on their priorities for the day. They come into contact with a variety of people including users of the building, other caretakers, council office staff, contractors working on the site, and the police.

Skills & Interests

Caretakers need to be:

• good at dealing with people
• well-organised
• conscientious
• reliable
• flexible in how they plan their work

Practical ability and DIY skills are desirable. A reasonable level of physical fitness is necessary for bending and lifting.

Entry Requirements

Entrants are usually mature people with previous work experience.

A driving licence is required for mobile caretaker posts.

Training is provided by employers and include short courses (typically one day) covering topics such as health and safety matters, use of cleaning equipment, fire safety and customer care.

NVQ/SVQ in ‘Cleaning and Support Services - Level 2 (Caretaking)’ is available.

Estimated salary range

Salaries can range from around £11,300 up to £16,000 in some areas. Mobile caretakers tend to be in the upper range.

Some posts are residential, with a caretaker’s flat or house provided at a subsidised rent.

Please note that salary information is a guide only and there may be local agreements in place. For further information about salaries for particular positions, please contact your local council directly.

Future prospects & opportunities

A large number of caretakers are employed by local authorities - according to recent figures, more than 40,000.

There may be opportunities for promotion to supervisory posts, involving responsibility for a team of caretakers. It is also possible to transfer into other types of caretaking work, for instance in schools or hospitals, or into cleaning management.

Some caretakers move into other roles within local authorities - some housing caretakers, for instance, have transferred into office jobs within housing departments.

Related Occupations

Follow this link to view a list of all related occuptions in Building Your Community.
Alternatively, follow this link to view all career profiles placed in the same job area.

Further Information & Services

British Institute of Cleaning Science www.bics.org.uk

Asset Skills www.assetskills.org

You may find further information about this area of work in your local Connexions service/careers office/school careers library - under RB.

What should I do next?

Look for current local government Caretaker, Housing & Community vacancies in the following places:

• LGjobs.com - the official recruitment website for local government.
• Weekly, bi-weekly or monthly jobs bulletins produced by local councils themselves, available from libraries, community centres, town halls/main civic buildings and central council personnel departments.
• Local council websites.
• Local newspapers
• National newspapers - The Guardian is particularly well known for its public sector job advertisements on a Wednesday.

Find out about the council and get some work experience if possible by:

• Making the most of work experience placements arranged through your school, college or university.
• Contacting councils close to your home to find out about the work experience opportunities they offer.
• Talking to someone who does the job you are interested in - ring your local council to see if someone can spare some time.
• Making an appointment to see a careers adviser for more specific information about jobs and training.