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Unlocking the potential of youth
5th of August 2025 Article by Lynn Webster
The cleaning sector in the UK has initiatives aimed at attracting young people, reports Lynn Webster.
Making the cleaning and FM industry more attractive to younger people and the future generation has been an often debated challenge. This is especially relevant today as the labour resource is becoming an ever decreasing pool. Young people often furthest from the labour marketplace can face prolonged periods away from work with the associated complexities and multiple issues of disadvantage. Currently there are nearly a million 16-24 year-olds estimated to be neither in education, employment or training (ONS 2025).
School visits
Various cleaning and FM industry bodies are providing a greater focus on the youth market with a number of initiatives opening up the conversation of a career in cleaning.
Launched some time ago and now with a renewed energy the CSSA Clean Start campaign has gained significant interest. Recently at The Cleaning Show in London a group of students from a local high school enjoyed a day of presentations, interactive sessions at some of the manufacturer stands and engagement with supportive members of the association.
This is in addition to the many visits to schools from the Clean Start ambassadors who hold open sessions to explain the diversity and the exciting range of career options open to the students in the wide and varied industry of cleaning & FM.
Careers fairs
The Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners continues its longterm support of the London City Schools Link. It, in cooperation with other livery companies, holds careers fairs to provide opportunities to consider a selection of career choices. It also provides bursaries from its Charity Trust to both girls’ and boys’ schools in support of individual students pursuing their studies.
The British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) has an established relationship with Youth Employment UK. With its youth ambassador Kelsey Hargreaves, it promotes the great opportunities and career progression available to young people across the sector. She has even spoken in Parliament on this subject. BICSc has also created a dedicated online hub, the Cleaning Industry Careers Guide.
Youth event
The Institute was hosting a Youth Event during Youth Employment Week in collaboration with Youth Employment UK this summer in Birmingham. Those attending were promised “...a comprehensive understanding of the diverse job roles available after leaving school, college, or university. They will leave with a clearer picture of the multiple career paths that await them, and the skills needed to succeed”.
The industry should now be encouraged to consider how they can attract and subsequently retain the talent from this valuable pool of future leaders. The nurturing of these young people is our duty whether it is to school leavers embarking on their first experience of work; college trainees looking towards their first major employment role or the graduate entry candidates with an open book
of opportunities into the multitude of career paths our industry can offer them.
Ask yourself the question – is your business youth friendly and encouraging towards young people to map out their career; not making them hold back in fear of rejection or discouragement? Or will they be lost to the competition away from our amazing industry?!
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