Janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners
Career Overview
Janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners clean and maintain the interior, exterior and surrounding grounds of commercial, institutional and residential buildings.
Job Titles
Duties
In general, janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners:
- Sweep, vacuum, mop, scrub and wax floors and stairs
- Operate industrial vacuum cleaners to remove scraps, dirt, heavy debris and other refuse
- Wash windows, interior walls and ceilings
- Empty trash cans
- Clean and disinfect washrooms
- Disinfect high-touch surfaces, such as door handles and railings
- Clean snow/ice from walkways and parking areas
- Cut grass and tend grounds
They may also:
- Water and tend to plants
- Move furniture, equipment and supplies
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
16,780% Employed Full Time
46%Janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners work for office and apartment building management companies, condominium corporations, educational buildings, hospitals, recreational facilities, shopping malls, religious, industrial and other establishments.
Many cleaners work evenings and weekends when buildings are empty. School and hospital janitors usually work during the day. Janitors may work shifts in buildings that need 24-hour maintenance. In buildings that have set opening and shut-down routines, workers may do split shifts (two short, separate shifts in a single day).
Janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners usually work indoors. Some of the work takes place outside, like sweeping walkways, mowing lawns and shovelling snow. Employees usually work alone and call in more specialized help when needed.
Some caretakers live in the buildings where they work, providing on-call service. Many enjoy dealing with the people who live or work in the building.
This work can be physically demanding. Workers spend much of their time on their feet, sometimes lifting/pushing heavy furniture and equipment. Many tasks, such as dusting and sweeping, require bending, stretching, kneeling as well as crouching. Workers also often use noisy equipment and chemical cleaning products. Some tasks, like cleaning bathrooms and trash rooms, can be dirty and unpleasant. Working conditions for janitors have changed, though, as many employers have begun to use natural products and better-designed equipment, including lightweight mopping systems.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected this role greatly. Higher standards and more focus on cleaning and disinfecting have increased the demands on janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners. It has also shown how important this work is.
Career Pathways
Janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners often begin their careers in entry-level cleaning roles. With training or experience, they may become supervisors. Some experienced workers go on to open their own businesses.
Caretakers with training and experience can progress by taking on more building management responsibilities and administrative duties. These may include advertising vacancies, enforcing residential tenancy laws and processing security deposit refunds. More experienced caretakers and building superintendents can move into property management.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- A high school diploma
- Previous cleaning experience
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Academic/Basic Upgrading
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
16,780Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 835 | 5.0% |
| Kootenay | 845 | 5.0% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 8,970 | 53.5% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 675 | 4.0% |
| Northeast | 425 | 2.5% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 2,045 | 12.2% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 2,995 | 17.9% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
7,130Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 260 | 0.0% |
| Kootenay | 320 | 0.6% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 3,970 | 1.2% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 180 | 0.3% |
| Northeast | 160 | 1.3% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 860 | 0.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 1,390 | 1.1% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Educational Services | 2,170 |
| Business, Building and Other Support Services | 2,120 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 570 |
| Public Administration | 300 |
| Finance, Insurance and Real Estate | 290 |
Insights from Industry
COVID-19 increased the need for heavy-duty cleaning and sanitization and brought greater demand for workers. Other job openings are the result of worker turnover and the declining number of retired people who act as resident caretakers for their buildings.
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
