National Apprenticeship Week: Tackling skills shortages in cleaning & FM

This National Apprenticeship Week, Jangro CEO, Jo Gilliard is urging the cleaning and hygiene sector and the wider FM industry to rethink outdated approaches to attracting talent and to back that up with meaningful action.

With workforce pressures continuing and only nine per cent of the sector under the age of 25, Gilliard stresses that apprenticeships must reflect the reality of today’s industry. One increasingly shaped by ESG, sustainability, compliance, data, technology and leadership, alongside essential frontline roles.
Gilliard challenges outdated perceptions of cleaning and hygiene and urges clearer career pathways that demonstrate progression, support retention, and reinforce professionalism across FM environments.

Gilliard, said: “This National Apprenticeship Week is a good moment to be honest with ourselves as an industry. It’s a time to challenge outdated perceptions of the cleaning and hygiene sector and, crucially, to back that up with action. The sector has moved on, but the way we talk about it – and sometimes how we recruit for it – hasn’t always kept up.
 
“If we are serious about tackling workforce challenges, we have to start by showing young people what a career in this industry actually looks like today and the diverse range of pathways it can offer.
 
“The figures speak for themselves, as only nine per cent of the workforce is under 25, which should give us pause. This is a sector offering long-term, future-proof careers across areas like AI, data, ESG, sustainability, marketing, compliance and leadership; yet, too often those opportunities aren’t visible from the outside. We must question why more isn’t being done to attract and develop the next generation.
 
“While frontline operative roles remain essential, they are part of a much broader skills base. Cleaning and hygiene goes beyond operative duties, and so our apprenticeships must reflect the reality of how the industry operates today and where it is heading next.

“You don’t need a huge scheme to start making a difference, even one well-supported apprentice sends a clear signal about a company’s commitment to developing people. But apprenticeships only work if they’re built around progression from the outset. Young people need to be able to see how they can grow and that there is a future for them here. That means being clearer about career pathways, investing in training and giving people the chance to move across roles as the industry evolves.
 
“If we want this industry to be respected as the critical, professional sector it is, we have to invest in people. Meaningful apprenticeships are one of the most practical ways to do that and it’s something every business, regardless of size, can start acting on now.”