The UK Team Clean Challenge is back by popular demand

Why the event is set to get bigger and bigger

By Chris James, Director of Research and Development, Asset Skills

When we took on organising the UK's first ever cleaning skills competition we knew it was a tough challenge. But it was our intention from the outset, not just to be another contest, but to be an exemplar contest. It would be a chance to showcase the talents the cleaning industry has to offer and reward a group whose work is so valuable, yet so often overlooked.

The 2007 UK Team Clean Challenge had two strands – an open one among cleaning businesses – and a second one in prisons where offenders receive training in top rate facilities as part of their rehabilitation process.

The awards took place in Westminster in March. The event, where the joint winners MITIE Cleaning and Principle Cleaning Services were given their trophies, was attended by key players in the cleaning industry.

What's next?

The UK's best cleaners will now represent Britain at the Euroskills competition in Holland this September with the chance of entering the World Skills challenge in 2011. This dimension gives us the chance to find out how good we are compared to the competition in Europe and allows cleaning operatives,managers and supervisors an international platform to profile their skills. The teams are being coached for Europe by Mary Schramm from Merton College who has taken on the mantle of "UK Training Manager".

Confidence in Asset Skills to lead the UK and Europe on this competition is high. We have the backing of UK Skills, the organisation overseeing a number of skills competitions, and the skills bodies in six European countries including Holland, Finland, Poland, Turkey and Hungary.

This year we are repeating the open contest in England and will also run one in Scotland. In parallel we are also running the competition in the prisons of England and Scotland and are in discussion to develop it in Wales. Not surprisingly the winners of the prisons' strand won't progress to Euroskills but it's hoped the event will highlight to offenders that cleaning can be a worthwhile job to consider for the future.

There is no age limit to enter the UK competitions. However, the ethos of international competitions is very much around developing young people, and for this reason the teams must conform to age profiles which are 27 years for Euroskills and 23 years for World Skills.

Continued development and funding is needed to progress and we are on the look out for venues to host the contest, judges and assessors.

What does the competition involve?

This year's event will be based on the same system as before. Judges will give two hour assessments of the teams' practical responses to a set of scenarios including mocked-up filthy hospital wards, office spaces and dirty IT equipment.

Each team will have a manager, supervisor and two cleaners and will be marked against criteria specific to their particular job roles. Managers tackle issues like costing and risk assessment, the presence of customers on site and the motivation and management of their team.

Supervisors are assessed on team-leading and front line troubleshooting. The skills and competencies required of each team are based on the national occupational standards (NOS) and industry qualifications like those offered by the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc).

The competition is open to entrants from all parts of the industry be it health care, local authority or contract cleaning.

The benefits for employers

Entering and winning skills competitions leads to PR and publicity which in turn leads to new business opportunities. It demonstrates confidence in staff and enables benchmarking against others. It leads to staff involvement and motivation, pride in both the job and the company.

Skills competitions also help attract new trainees and build connections with local colleges and training providers. They enhance the reputation of the business as an employer, attracting and retaining staff and demonstrate commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR)

Competing puts people under a great deal of pressure and this is also the case in modern business. Young people need to be able to manage this pressure so competing in a skills competition is a good way of learning to deal with this and at the same time meet deadlines.

Asset Skills is currently putting together its bid for World Skills – the largest and most prestigious international competition. A win at that event would not only support the cleaning industry and the UK, but would present a global showcase for UK Plc

If you are a cleaning firm and would like to enter a team to the UK Team Clean Challenge 2008 please fill in an entry form (overleaf) and send it to us at Asset Skills (address on form). There is a xxxx cost