Description
Janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners clean and maintain the interior and exterior of commercial, institutional and residential buildings and their surrounding grounds. They are employed by office and apartment building management companies, condominium corporations, educational institutions, health care facilities, recreational and shopping facilities, religious, industrial and other establishments.
Job Titles
- Building caretaker
- Custodian
- Heavy-duty cleaner
- Industrial cleaner
- Plant cleaner
- School janitor
Main Duties
- Operate industrial vacuum cleaners to remove scraps, dirt, heavy debris and other refuse
- Wash windows, interior walls and ceilings
- Empty trash cans and other waste containers
- Sweep, mop, scrub and wax hallways, floors and stairs
- Clean snow and ice from walkways and parking areas
- Cut grass and tend grounds and plants
- Clean and disinfect washrooms and fixtures
- May move heavy furniture, equipment and supplies.
Workplaces
- Apartment building management companies
- Condominium corporations
- Education institutions
- Health care facilities
- Industrial establishments
- Office building management companies
- Recreation facilities
- Religious establishments
- Shopping facilities
Skills
- Operation and Control
- Operation Monitoring of Machinery and Equipment
- Preventative Maintenance
- Troubleshooting
- Coordinating
Abilities
- Body Flexibility
- Dynamic Strength
- Gross Body Coordination
- Gross Body Equilibrium
- Multi-Limb Coordination
Personal Attributes
- Attention to Detail
- Concern for Others
- Independence
- Active Learning
- Adaptability
Similar Occupations
- Cleaning supervisors (62024)
- Light duty cleaners (65310)
- Specialized cleaners (65311)
- General building maintenance workers and building superintendents (73201)
Source: OaSIS
Employment Outlook
The employment outlook will be moderate for Janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners (65312) in Prince Edward Island for the 2022-2024 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
- Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
- Several positions will become available due to retirements.
- There are several unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Janitors, caretakers and building superintendents work in all sectors in P.E.I. However elementary and secondary schools, building maintenance, and real estate companies account for the highest share of employment of these workers. Many new condominiums contract out required services and have maintenance personnel only during core hours. This is unlike traditional apartment buildings, where superintendents live on-site and usually receive housing as part of their income.
Janitors, caretakers and building superintendents with knowledge of plumbing, carpentry and other maintenance-related skills will have improved job prospects. Shift work and irregular hours are common at some facilities. While education is rarely required for this occupation, training programs and experience in the following fields are required for certain positions and are always an asset: heating, ventilation, lighting, alarm systems, carpentry, repairs, plumbing and electricity.
Here are some key facts about Janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners in Prince Edward Island:
- Approximately 750 people work in this occupation.
- Janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners mainly work in the following sectors:
- Elementary and secondary schools (NAICS 6111): 30%
- Management and administrative services (NAICS 55, 56): 17%
- Social assistance (NAICS 624): 7%
- Universities (NAICS 6113): 7%
- Other services (except public administration) (NAICS 81): 6%
- The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
- Full-time workers: 74% compared to 84% for all occupations
- Part-time workers: 26% compared to 16% for all occupations
- 70% of janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners work all year, while 30% work only part of the year, compared to 59% and 41% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 43 weeks compared to 41 weeks for all occupations.
- Less than 5% of janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners are self-employed compared to an average of 13% for all occupations.
- The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
- Men: 51% compared to 51% for all occupations
- Women: 49% compared to 49% for all occupations
- The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
- no high school diploma: 15% compared to 11% for all occupations
- high school diploma or equivalent: 57% compared to 28% for all occupations
- apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 6% compared to 11% for all occupations
- college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor’s: 18% compared to 25% for all occupations
- bachelor’s degree: less than 5% compared to 17% for all occupations
- university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
Source: Job Bank
Prevailing Wages
| AREA | LOW | MEDIAN | HIGH |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEI | $15.00 | $19.15 | $24.50 |
| Canada | $15.00 | $20.50 | $29.00 |
Training
There are no known training programs for this occupation in PEI. If you are aware of a local training program, please contact us.