Custodians —
Building a Quality Workforce

Meaningful Training
= Quality Workforce

It has long been recognized, by employees and employers alike, that skills training and professional development in a career-enhancing environment are vital components toward achieving and building a Custodian Quality Workforce.

Professional development for custodians in the school environment is obviously connected to enhancing student achievement. All employees should have meaningful opportunities to be "life-long learners." The lack of meaningful training opportunities for custodians in many school districts is particularly ironic when noted that these are school employees.

When supervisors, administrators, and communities believe custodians only perform duties like cleaning, little thought is given to meaningful and relevant career professional development programs.

Meaningful training for public school custodians may be defined as:

• New employee orientation programs
• In-service training programs
• Career enhancing professional development programs

You're the Expert:  Local Talent /Local Training

When developing a comprehensive training program, never overlook the special expertise already present in the district. Skills and abilities in special areas already exist. Most public school custodians are district residents. They not only understand the community and the school district, they live in it, work in it, and vote in it. They are the firefighters, club members, parents, local resident volunteers. How many are qualified EMTs? How many custodians speak more than one language? These special resources are a unique and valuable part of the Custodian Quality Workforce. The custodian is the "local expert." He or she has the local talent, and should participate and be included in the local training.