At this year’s Manchester Cleaning Show, a panel on attracting the next generation of cleaning and FM professionals highlighted a clear industry consensus that more must be done to bring new talent into the sector. Jo Gilliard, CEO of Jangro, explains why the challenge goes beyond perception and what structural change could look like.
The cleaning and hygiene sector is currently having an important conversation about how to attract more young people into the profession. Like many industries, cleaning and FM are facing a generational shift. Only 11% of the workforce is currently under the age of 25. At the same time, the profession is still often misunderstood as low-skilled or limited in opportunity.
In reality, cleaning and hygiene now offers careers across AI, data, ESG, sustainability, marketing, compliance and leadership, alongside the operational roles that remain essential to the profession. It is worth £71.9 billion to the UK economy and plays a central role in protecting public health.
Attracting the next generation requires more than explaining what the sector involves. It also means looking at the structures shaping how careers develop within it. That starts with understanding the commercial environment the industry operates within.
The commercial realities shaping the profession
Cleaning contracts across both the private and public sectors are typically delivered through highly competitive tender processes. Buyers must balance high standards with limited budgets, which often results in tightly priced contracts.
While this may deliver short-term savings, it can also shape how businesses operate. Tight margins can make it difficult for providers to invest confidently over the long term in training, career development and wage progression.
This is not about criticism. It is about recognising that the commercial frameworks surrounding the sector directly influence how careers develop within it. If we want to strengthen the profession and attract new talent, procurement models must allow room for sustained investment in people.
One way to address this is by embedding training expectations directly into procurement frameworks. When contracts recognise training and development as part of the service being delivered, investment in skills becomes a built-in requirement rather than an optional extra. This gives employers greater confidence to invest in structured learning within their teams.
There is also an opportunity to link workforce standards more clearly to ESG reporting. While environmental reporting is now common, the social dimension of ESG must also reflect how people are supported within the workforce. Recognising fair pay and opportunities for development within these frameworks would help reinforce employment standards across the sector.
Stability in contracts is equally important. Longer-term agreements allow providers to plan ahead and invest in their people, helping build a stronger and more professional workforce over time.
Making career pathways visible
Many successful careers in the industry are built through experience across a range of roles. Individuals often begin in operational positions before progressing into management or specialist roles, yet these journeys are not always visible to those entering the profession.
Clearer career pathways can help address this. When progression is defined and communicated effectively, individuals can see how experience gained in frontline roles can open the door to a wide range of careers across the sector.
Mentoring can help bridge this gap by connecting early-career professionals with experienced colleagues who can offer guidance and insight into how careers develop within the industry. Making these pathways clearer is one of the most effective ways to show that cleaning offers long-term professional careers.
Apprenticeships must be championed at leadership level
Apprenticeships remain one of the most practical ways to bring new talent into the sector. They provide structured entry points that combine hands-on experience with formal training.
However, apprenticeships are frequently only associated with frontline roles. While these positions remain essential, the industry should also use apprenticeships to develop talent in areas such as management, sustainability and commercial roles.
For apprenticeships to have a meaningful impact on the talent pipeline, they must be championed at leadership level and embedded within long-term workforce planning. When senior teams actively support apprenticeships, it signals that attracting and developing new talent is a priority.
Aligning structures with the future of the profession
Perception matters, but it will only change if the structures surrounding the profession evolve alongside it. Procurement, workforce investment and career development all influence how the sector is experienced by those working within it. When these structures support training, fair pay and progression, the industry becomes a stronger place to build a career.
When commercial frameworks reflect the true value of the sector, businesses can invest more confidently in people, and that is what will ultimately attract the next generation.
https://www.jangro.net/