Is caretaking a thing of the past?

[bob4621]

I have been a school caretaker for the past 15-20 years. 10 years in my current post, we have recently advertised for a new caretaking assistant, but I have only received 1 reply.
It strikes me that the position of school caretaker is a dying skill. Admittedly its not everyone's cup of tea, it doesn't help that heads of schools and teachers have generally no idea what goes into physically looking after a school, everything is supposed to be done bish bash bosh, 5 min and you should be finished, yet we all know this isn't the case.

What will become of schools when the last school caretaker/site manager retires? Does anyone else who has been in this game for a while find the same thing is happening?
2 schools near me have had their site managers leave due to the fact they cannot do educational establishments anymore.

[Keyolder]

I think as with all jobs they move with the times, and when economy comes into the equation especially in the caretaking role, salary is often reduced to the bare minimum. The long hours, split shifts, and sporadic nature of the work plus being on call 24/7.
When you add it all up it’s not surprising there is not much interest in the job

[hendo91]

I am currently 3 years in at my school but have been caretaker/site manager for just over 10 at 3 different schools in total and I can honestly say this last year and current run of months has been the hardest I am doing more and more in the same hours the gap between expectation and reality is ridiculous and lets face for what we do and what's expected we are underpaid I think in 5-10 years most schools will agency run cleaning and one key holder doing multiple schools in one area all under the same umbrella and the day of the in house cleaners and caretakers being part of the school staff will be gone.

[magpie]

I put it down to the change from schools being schools to schools being businesses.
The first 21 years of my 41 in total were excellent despite the long hours, split shift and basically 24/7 availability. I always felt a vital part of the school was looked upon as someone with experience and able to help on all sorts of matters. Over the last 20 years a slow change started whereby the style of school management started to alter the standing and perception of what the caretaker could do. Eventually in the last 4 years i was basically looked at as a glorified litter picker. In my opinion the change in school management with younger people getting those high up jobs earlier than used to be the case causing them to go on a power trip and denegrating the job and wages are responsible for people not applying anymore, people don't see the wage as good enough.
I know this makes me sound bitter and twisted but unfortunately that is how it all ended for me

[Vera]

The equation is quite simple.
Skilled, time served, dedicated, flexible and adaptability and low wages do not make good partners.

Less money = less skilled people applying for the job.
fair wage = more willing skilled people applying for the job.

The problem is the fall in wages over the last 10 years or so.
School or trust governance seem unable to grasp the fact that what they want in a Caretaker isn't going to work for the wages given.

At the moment its sort of ok but when some of the older CT's retire (myself included) they will get younger people to take their place.

[GARRY E]

An observation of mine is quite revealing, where schools advertise for a part time site manager on 25 or 30 hours for example with no cleaning involved, sounds good ,but this person is still gonna do a split shift ,with the full plethora of looking after a school then they set off for home and some one says oh Mr/s would you just before you go ? can you fix? and before you know it an hour has gone by and you cant be bothered to fill in the o/t form cos its for the school and its a one off, and so the pattern begins .
After a period of time they got you doing full time hours for part time pay.
This does sound as though its far fetched but I've met a couple of part time CTs who didn't realise it was happening to them.
They just want a job regardless of the hours and don't complain.

[hendo91]

An observation of mine is quite revealing, where schools advertise for a part time site manager on 25 or 30 hours for example with no cleaning involved, sounds good ,but this person is still gonna do a split shift ,with the full plethora of looking after a school then they set off for home and some one says oh Mr/s would you just before you go ? can you fix? and before you know it an hour has gone by and you cant be bothered to fill in the o/t form cos its for the school and its a one off, and so the pattern begins .
After a period of time they got you doing full time hours for part time pay.
This does sound as though its far fetched but I've met a couple of part time CTs who didn't realise it was happening to them.
They just want a job regardless of the hours and don't complain.

use to be the case here with closing ''its only 5mins late'' hand full of teachers and the previous CT's or SM went with the flow of it I however started to put weekly OT sheets in 15/25mins a week late closure...so I was asked about it and said out right it will be done every single time I put the alarm on and lock up later than 6 and it was an instant fix for the issue. They are so quick to tell you how to use your time while at work to be as productive as possible but don't seem to want to know when your personal time is being encroached upon far to many off us fall for this trap.

[Basher]

I really can see where the comments are coming from.
Been caretaking for two years at a private school and the lack of pay progression and frustrations have led me to review other opportunities.
As it happens the school I am at is advertising again for another caretaker as we have been one person down for well over a year.
I say advertising ‘again’ due to a poor choice in the last batch of interviews. Currently the selection looks even worse this time around.
I have had a conversation to say, I am not happy as my wage is barely over national living wage and I am not surprised the quality that the job advert is attracting due to the low wage being offered.
My frustration has stemmed to me applying for other jobs, had an interview today at a local authority school and it’s about £5k more a year but I was stunned at how little you are expected to do with compliance inspections and the job seems nothing like the job I am currently doing when it comes to compliance checks, everything is contracted out. Add to this, no real system to log the inspections or help calls.
Did the job sound hard, not overly but I could see many frustrating moments ahead if I took the role. I don’t currently do split shifts, would in this new role and I am questioning on if the extra money is worth the longer days. I am sure I would find my new groove and keep myself busy but it’s concerning how different the same job can be, especially as the job with more work, is less work.

Can definitely see why people are not attracted to the role these days, but what is the role?

Caretaker, Assistant Caretaker, facilities supervisor/manager, site manager, compliance officer or whatever the name is these days.

[jay]

Like Magpie, I loved the job when the school was a school.

Then along come a Business Manager and the downward slope started.

When I started over 20 years ago, I was a grade 3 caretaker. When I was made redundant (and homeless) I was a grade 5 Site Manager. The new caretaker is a grade 2 less then my start.

The cost of everything the value of nothing.

[thecaretaker]

Like Magpie, I loved the job when the school was a school.

Then along come a Business Manager and the downward slope started.

When I started over 20 years ago, I was a grade 3 caretaker. When I was made redundant (and homeless) I was a grade 5 Site Manager. The new caretaker is a grade 2 less then my start.

The cost of everything the value of nothing.

Ditto....