Careers in Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance

First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers

Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance

Directly supervise and coordinate work activities of cleaning personnel in hotels, hospitals, offices, and other establishments.

Requires a Matric Certificate

First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers

Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in landscaping or groundskeeping activities. Work may involve reviewing contracts to ascertain service, machine, and workforce requirements; answering inquiries from potential customers regarding methods, material, and price ranges; and preparing estimates according to labor, material, and machine costs.

Requires Vocational Training or a Diploma

Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners

Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance

Keep buildings in clean and orderly condition. Perform heavy cleaning duties, such as cleaning floors, shampooing rugs, washing walls and glass, and removing rubbish. Duties may include tending furnace and boiler, performing routine maintenance activities, notifying management of need for repairs, and cleaning snow or debris from sidewalk.

Requires Vocational Training or a Diploma

Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners

Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance

Perform any combination of light cleaning duties to maintain private households or commercial establishments, such as hotels and hospitals, in a clean and orderly manner. Duties may include making beds, replenishing linens, cleaning rooms and halls, and vacuuming.

May require a Matric Certificate

Building Cleaning Workers, All Other

Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance

All building cleaning workers not listed separately.

No requirement is specified

Pest Control Workers

Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance

Apply or release chemical solutions or toxic gases and set traps to kill or remove pests and vermin that infest buildings and surrounding areas.

Requires a Matric Certificate

Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers

Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance

Landscape or maintain grounds of property using hand or power tools or equipment. Workers typically perform a variety of tasks, which may include any combination of the following: sod laying, mowing, trimming, planting, watering, fertilizing, digging, raking, sprinkler installation, and installation of mortarless segmental concrete masonry wall units.

May require a Matric Certificate

Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation

Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance

Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation, or chemical application on trees, shrubs, lawns, or crops. Usually requires specific training and state or federal certification.

Requires a Matric Certificate

Tree Trimmers and Pruners

Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance

Using sophisticated climbing and rigging techniques, cut away dead or excess branches from trees or shrubs to maintain right-of-way for roads, sidewalks, or utilities, or to improve appearance, health, and value of tree. Prune or treat trees or shrubs using handsaws, hand pruners, clippers, and power pruners. Works off the ground in the tree canopy and may use truck-mounted lifts.

Requires a Matric Certificate

Grounds Maintenance Workers, All Other

Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance

All grounds maintenance workers not listed separately.

No requirement is specified