Cleaners work in commercial and domestic environments where they play a key role in improving community health, hygiene and preventing the spread of infection. Having trained cleaners provides confidence to employers of their quality of service. Experienced cleaners may progress to become team leaders, supervisors or start their own cleaning business.
Careerforce offers nationally recognised qualifications and on-the-job training opportunities for cleaners, whether entry level or in specialist areas like healthcare facilities cleaning, carpet and textiles, contagion and specialised infection control, hard floor surfaces, food production and high risk environments.
The cleaning sector is looking for hard working employees ready to help improve community health and hygiene. If you want to advance your career as a cleaner, you can earn your New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning or discover a specialist area that is right for you. As a trained cleaner, you can help inspire confidence in clients or employers in the quality of service you provide.
Careerforce can support you to enhance your workforce’s skills and knowledge through our well resourced, on-the-job training programmes.
A Careerforce Workplace Advisor will work with you to determine which qualifications are right for your workforce. Together, we’ll develop a comprehensive training plan and discuss steps to set up your training. We will also guide you through funding opportunities to support the growth of your employees.
Working as a cleaner,
the most important thing for
me is that I can walk away
and feel like I’ve made
a difference to the residents.
Click on the questions below to reveal the answers. Please contact us via info@careerforce.org.nz if you have a question not covered below.
Cleaning is about delivering expert customer service and keeping our shared spaces clean and safe. You’ll typically be a part of a team and work in a range of places including offices, industrial or public buildings, hotels, malls, hospitals, carparks or private homes. As a cleaner you’ll also be at the forefront in preventing the spread of infection and contamination. You may be working by yourself or with a team.
Entry level roles in cleaning don’t usually require any qualifications, but it is likely you will be expected to train on-the-job for the New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning Level 2.
Examples of roles: Cleaner
Examples of qualifications:
New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 2)
The New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 2) with optional endorsement in healthcare facilities cleaning
More advanced roles in cleaning will benefit from a Level 3 qualification.
Examples of roles: Team leader, Trainer, Specialist Cleaning roles such as Contagion and Specialised Infection Control, Hard Floor Surfaces, Food Production and High-Risk Environments
Examples of qualifications:
New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 3)
New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 3) Specialist Cleaning
New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 3) Supervision
Entry level roles in cleaning don’t usually require any qualifications, but it is likely you will be expected to train on-the-job for the New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning Level 2.
Examples of roles: Cleaner
Examples of qualifications:
New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 2)
The New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 2) with optional endorsement in healthcare facilities cleaning
More advanced roles in cleaning will benefit from a Level 3 qualification.
Examples of roles: Team leader, Trainer, Specialist Cleaning roles such as Contagion and Specialised Infection Control, Hard Floor Surfaces, Food Production and High-Risk Environments
Examples of qualifications:
New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 3)
New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 3) Specialist Cleaning
New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 3) Supervision
Cleaners need to:
The expected duration for cleaning qualifications ranges from 7 – 8 months. Since practical experience is important in this industry, on-the-job training is completed alongside work in a cleaning environment.
Examples of qualifications and duration:
New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 2) – 7 – 8 months
The New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 2) with optional endorsement in healthcare facilities cleaning – 7 – 8 months
New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 3) – 8 months
New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 3) Specialist Cleaning – 10 months
New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 3) Supervision – 10 months
Enrolment fees for cleaning qualifications range from $200 NZD to $230 NZD.
Examples of qualifications and enrolment costs:
New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 2) – $200 NZD
The New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 2) with optional endorsement in healthcare facilities cleaning – $200 NZD
New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 3) – $230 NZD
New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 3) Specialist Cleaning – $230 NZD
New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 3) Supervision – $230 NZD
The employer typically pays the fees for staff to enrol in these programmes. To enrol in a Careerforce programme, you must be currently employed, and have the support of your employer.
Cleaners work in commercial and domestic environments where they play a key role in improving community health, hygiene and preventing the spread of infection.
There are opportunities for cleaners to advance, with qualifications that help experienced cleaners progress to become team leaders and supervisors or start their own cleaning business.
Cleaning is about delivering expert customer service and keeping our shared spaces clean and safe. You’ll typically be a part of a team and work in a range of places including offices, industrial or public buildings, hotels, malls, hospitals, carparks or private homes. As a cleaner you’ll also be at the forefront in preventing the spread of infection and contamination. You may be working by yourself or with a team.
The cleaning sector is looking for hard working employees ready to help improve community health and hygiene. If you want to advance your career as a cleaner, you can earn your New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning or discover a specialist area that is right for you. As a trained cleaner, you can help inspire confidence in clients or employers in the quality of service you provide.
There are entry-level opportunities cleaning and employers who will support your training and help you to get qualified on the job.
Check out new Zealand job sites such as Jobs for Good, www.seek.co.nz, www.trademe.co.nz/jobs for entry level job opportunities. Many employers will support on-the-job training where you’ll have the opportunity to earn as you learn, get practical skills and work towards achieving a nationally recognised qualification without taking on a student loan.
