Employers in FM and Cleaning

Funding offer for technical certificates

Sept 2011

Government funding is available for facilities management and cleaning employers to put staff through training for the following technical certificates:

• Cleaning Principles
• Equality and Diversity
• Customer Service
• Business Administration
• Team leading
• Hospitality

Technical certificates are specialist courses that link to key components of a set job role.

Working with recognised training providers, Asset Skills, the Sector Skills Council for facilities management and cleaning, is pleased to offer employers the chance to support their staff and take advantage of funding targeted at raising their workforce's skills and knowledge.

Course format

The courses take place as distance learning programmes that last between 3-6 months.

There will be an initial face-to-face induction for enrolment, course introduction and advice on how to use the high quality support materials to guide them through the training. Assessment is usually through a combination of multiple choice questions and an assignment.

The courses are nationally recognised and accredited by awarding organisations such as NCFE and City and Guilds. They can help employees with their career development and act as evidence they are operating to agreed national standards.

Course details

The courses on offer are:

• Cleaning Principles - targeted at those in roles that involve cleaning of sites and covers the core techniques on the best ways of ensuring high standards of cleanliness.
• Equality and Diversity - particularly useful for those involved in public sector contracts as this is a key area of focus due to the Equality Act 2010. It aims to assist employees understand the benefits of a diverse workforce and provides a guide on best practice to avoid and deal with instances of discrimination, harassment and bullying.
• Customer Service - looking at how to deal with queries from internal and external customers.
• Business Administration - suitable for those involved in regular office administration tasks.
• Team Leading - aimed at supervisors and deals with the best ways of managing people through appraisals, 121s and meetings.
• Hospitality - helps employees who are involved in front or back of house roles in the hospitality industry.

Eligibility requirements

The employer needs to provide minimum groups of five candidates. Employees must work in England, have been resident in the EU for the past three years, aged over 19 and not be studying, or hold, the same or a higher qualification.

There is a processing charge to the employer of £25 plus VAT that will be payable for each employee who enrols onto the course.

NB: the employee must independently wish to complete the programme and there is a penalty charge to them if they withdraw (unless it is due to a change of job).

Our partner, Learning at Work, has a proven track record within the FM industry of assisting employers to access this type of initiative and we are keen to promote this opportunity.

For more details please contact Tom Orton, the Asset Skills UK Academy Coordinator, at torton@assetskills.org or call 0844 822 2525.