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Faculty of Applied and Technical Studies

Building Services Worker

Trades

Become a cleaning professional

Learn to clean and maintain buildings such as condominiums, offices, schools, hospitals, recreational facilities, shopping malls, banks, and more. Land a janitorial position with an established company, join the custodial staff at a school or health care facility, or start your own cleaning service.

Today's buildings require up-to-date equipment, chemicals, and techniques in order to stay sanitary, safe, and in good condition. Become knowledgeable about the latest green products and procedures; learn to clean any surface without damaging its finish; most importantly, learn to work efficiently while avoiding injuries. UFV's Building Services Worker program is most valuable if you wish to launch a cleaning career within government, health care, or public education.

Scheduled Courses

Testimonials for Online Course

In this course I learned more things than I originally thought I would learn, everything was covered.

— Pawanjit 

Our instructor, Darin, was amazing because he made sure we all understood each part of the course, constantly asking if we had any questions and answering them clearly in ways anyone can understand if confused. I felt comfortable during the entire course to reach out for any reason to him and it all felt very personal in a good way.

— Sean

The instructor was extremely knowledgeable and had excellent student rapport! The course was well adapted to meet the COVID-19 circumstances. The textbook had adequate detail and was easy to translate into practical knowledge.

— Kylund 

 

 

PHONE 1-888-823-8734 TO REGISTER

Credential: Statement of completion

Format: 6-7 weeks part time

Days and times: See Scheduled offerings

Tuition*: $885

Additional costs: Students will need to purchase a hardcopy of the textbook for the first day of class from the UFV Bookstore.

Start dates: IN-PERSON | Mar 4 - Apr 12 | 18 sessions, Tue & Thu,  7-10 pm, Sat 9 am-3:30 pm ONLINE with scheduled meeting times| Jan 14-Feb 28 | First session Tuesday 7 pm, plus 6 more sessions (schedule TBD)

* Tuition subject to change without notice. Textbooks are not included in tuition.

Employment facts

The cleaning industry can be roughly divided into residential cleaning, commercial janitorial services, and specialty cleaning.

The commercial sector focuses on office buildings, municipal structures, and retail spaces, while the residential sector includes single-family homes, apartments, and condos. Specialty cleaning companies focus on specific types of cleaning—windows, floors, carpets, industrial, and more.

According to BC 2025 Labour Market Outlook, janitors, caretakers, and building superintendents are among the occupations with the largest number of job openings in southwestern B.C., with 7,950 jobs expected to open by 2028.

Building caretakers with additional trades skills such as plumbing and electrical repairs may land custodial management positions. Experienced caretakers and building superintendents may move up to property management or building management positions.

Program outline

Get introduced to custodial/housekeeping operations (both theory and practical applications) in cleaning procedures for all surfaces, including chemicals, waste handling, WHMIS, and other safety matters.

  • Learn cutting-edge techniques to make you more efficient and less likely to get injured.
  • Learn the latest on green products and procedures.
  • Learn to operate and maintain cleaning equipment like scrubbers and floor machines.
  • Review Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS). 

This class is suitable for those seeking to enter the custodial/cleaning industry and working custodians wishing to improve their skills.

Textbooks

$62.50 Building Service Worker Handbook, hard copy available for purchase at UFV Bookstore. The electronic copy may also be available for purchase after first date of course

Questions?

Phone: 604-847-5451
Toll free: 1-888-504-7441 ext. 5451
Email: industryservices@ufv.ca
Or ask online