Lessons to be learned from Olympics?

29th of October 2012
Lessons to be learned from Olympics?

Latest news from the UK from ECJ's correspondent.

The captains and kings have departed from the magnificent Olympic and Paralympic Games. Thanks extended all round to everyone - the cleaners did not get much mention among all the praise but must have done a first class job.

The ‘Famous Victory' is now history but is intended to inspire a nation. No easy task as we return from euphoria to our humdrum existence.

What the Paralympic Games in particular do seem to have given us is a better perspective on the sheer difficulties that the disabled face in their daily lives, and a hopefully a more inclusive and helpful attitude. Here once again the cleaning industry leads in the employment of the disadvantaged people. Having a job and working with other people certainly helps to make a difficult situation bearable.

One of the government flagship policies is training. It takes people out of the unemployment statistics and  makes politicians feel that they are doing something. One has to wonder about the value if it does not lead to a job at the end. It now emerges that billions set aside for industry support and thus job creation has not been used. Why not?

The blessing of training by those in power has brought into being a plethora of competing training organisations reaching into the government purse without necessarily producing the right result - a trained effective, efficient work force. Efforts are being made to correct this through the creation of so-called 'licences to practice' or similar titled arrangements.

This is close to having what one might call ‘terms and conditions’ and should ensure that the purchaser of training education gets what he/she paid for on a level playing field. Two of the protagonists in the field appear to have produced documents so similar in many areas as to hint at plagiarism. However the beneficiaries ought to be the employers and employees.

Too complicated?
That training has evolved there is no doubt but making cleaning training complicated with growing piles of paper with long words and fancy phrases should have no part in polishing a bannister or cleaning a toilet. Cleaning training organisations are not in existence to complicate simple tasks as a means of increasing profits.

A final word on the enthusiastic reception for the new Cleaning and Support Services (CSSA) Diploma. There is no doubt this is needed and welcomed but there is a suggestion that this will vastly improve man management skills. The implication is made that many promoted managers do not possess these attributes. On most contracts the supervisor has man management skills hardened at the coal face. The diploma may enhance these skills but candidates properly selected will also bring theirs to the party.

 

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