Choosing a career path for you is definitely a combination of talent and personal desire. Most of the time, you make decisions based on your personal preferences. So now all you have to do is figure out what you like most. Nonetheless, if you have a strong interest in a certain area, you can pursue it. This article explains how to be a building maintenance worker. It is an excellent professional path with a good income to take if you want to make a nice living. If you still have not decided about which direction to choose, read this article to have a better idea. Perhaps, that would be a help for you to see if this is a suitable career for you.
LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Operations and Maintenance Paperback – January 1, 2009
This is a guidebook by the US Green Building Council. We think that this is a perfect guidebook to refer to if you have an interest in the field of building maintenance. And this would be an exclusive help for you to get through the exams that you would have to face to get certain certifications. In fact, many readers of this book have also praised the content of this. And this has received good ratings. So, this would be a good read for you.
What do Building Maintenance Workers do?
Before we tell you how to be a building maintenance worker, we thought that it would be great if we could tell you what building maintenance workers do in the main. Of course, it is necessary to know the scope of work of building maintenance work if you want to know how to be a building maintenance worker.
Building maintenance workers, or general maintenance and repair workers, are responsible for a wide range of duties that vary depending on the place of employment. Manufacturing factories employ some building maintenance employees. And highrise offices and residential complexes employ building maintenance workers as well. Regardless of their company, most building maintenance employees do the same fundamental tasks.
One main duty that a building maintenance worker would have to carry out is repairing and fixing fixtures and equipment if there is any. Also, building maintenance workers would have to perform their routine maintenance work as well. And perhaps, building maintenance workers would have to perform certain cleaning duties as well. Of course, the work of a building maintenance worker may not be just inside buildings. They may have work outside as well. And that might be in gates or parking slots in general.
All the same, it would be up to the building maintenance workers to order supplies for maintenance work depending on the requirements. And they would have to keep records of all that they do as well.
Building maintenance professionals do repairs that need the use of fundamental skills such as those of an electrician, carpenter, plumber, mechanic, painter, HVAC technician, and roofer. Building maintenance employees, on the other hand, must constantly be conscious of their limitations and seek the assistance of a professional when their lack of knowledge or local regulations need it.
2021 International Property Maintenance Code (International Code Council Series) 1st Edition
This issue is by the International Code Council. Building components, site conditions, swimming pools, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, and fire prevention systems in existing residential and nonresidential constructions are all addressed in the IPMC for 2021. Hence, all the building maintenance workers should probably know what this book says. So, you should go ahead and buy this book to refer to it if you think you are going ahead with building maintenance.
The Work Environment
Alright. There is another important thing that you would like to know before reading about how to be a building maintenance worker.
In a single day, building maintenance workers may do a variety of activities in a variety of places. They may work in a single facility, such as a hotel or hospital, or they may be in charge of the upkeep of a large number of structures, such as those in an apartment complex or on a college campus.
Thus, building maintenance workers may have to stand for lengthy periods of time or lift large things. They may have to labor in extreme heat or cold, in awkward or tight postures, or on ladders. Walking, climbing, and reaching are all part of the job.
Consequently, among all jobs, building maintenance workers have one of the highest rates of accidents and illnesses. Falls from high places, electrocution, wounds, and bruising are all common injuries in the field. So, there is some risk in the profession, notwithstanding.
Usually, the majority of building maintenance workers work full-time, including evenings and weekends. Some are on call in case of an emergency.
So, this is pretty much about the work environment of building maintenance workers. Keep reading! We will comprehensively tell you how to be a building maintenance worker.
How to be a Building Maintenance Worker?
Now, it is time to take a look at how to be a building maintenance worker. For the ease of our readers, we thought of listing out the steps in the first place.
- Get a high school diploma or GED
- Learn basic repair skills
- Get on-the-job training
- Earn licenses and certifications
- Get an associate’s degree
- Advance in your career
So, basically, these are the steps that you would have to follow if you wish to be a building maintenance worker. Of course, you would be willing to know more about each of them. Keep reading! We will tell you all that you need to know about them.
1. Get a high school diploma or GED
To begin, you would need a high school diploma or its equivalent, a GED, or a General Education Development test. High school graduation indicates that you have a fundamental grasp of the vast majority of topics. High school graduation, in particular, demonstrates that you have a basic grasp of mathematics, science, reading, and writing. You do not, however, need to be an expert in any of these. It is just essential to have a basic understanding.
Mathematical knowledge is the most important of all that you require to work in this area. To do a range of activities, you would virtually always need to apply your fundamental math abilities. Of course, we have told you what building maintenance workers do. And you may have probably figured out that those activities need some basic math skills. You should be able to resolve the situation without too much difficulty. It is, however, only fundamental knowledge. You do not need to be an expert in any complex mathematical field.
A high school diploma or GED, on the other hand, will not teach you anything about this industry in particular. To do so, you must explicitly advance in your profession with this goal in mind. We can go over it in more detail in the next sections of our article.
2. Learn basic repair skills
Next, it is important to learn the trade in particular. You would have to learn the basic repair skills that you would need for you to advance in your career. In fact, you can learn these kinds of skills from technical education classes, postsecondary trade or vocational schools, or community colleges.
Mechanical drawing, electrical, woodworking, blueprint reading, arithmetic, and computer courses are all beneficial. Electrical, plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning systems, as well as painting and roofing, are common duties for maintenance and repair personnel. Many repair and maintenance activities require workers to have a strong working understanding of them.
Just the same, there are options such as adult education centers and community colleges to acquire skills like drywall repair and basic plumbing. They would also be helpful to enter into this profession.
Maintenance Man (Worker) (463) (Career Examination Series)
This book by the National Learning Corporation would surely be a great assistance for you. This book helps you prepare for your examination by allowing you to take sample exams in the disciplines you need to learn about. It contains hundreds of questions and answers on topics that are likely to be covered on your exams, such as basic knowledge of construction techniques and materials, carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, repair and maintenance of mechanical equipment and buildings or facilities, safe working practices and procedures, and proper use of tools and equipment. So, this book surely is something that you should buy and refer to.
3. Get on-the-job training
Getting on-the-job training is the next stage in our guide on how to be a building maintenance worker. It is mainly through this on-the-job training that you may learn and master the profession. You will learn what you should do and how to accomplish those tasks. Perhaps, your employer may provide on-the-job training for you. As an employee, you should most likely operate in your employer’s best interests. As a result, it is just necessary to comprehend the significance of your position as an employee at work. However, during this period, you would be under the supervision of a proper professional. You would not be able to work on your own when you are getting your on-the-job training.
One of the greatest methods to gain hands-on maintenance and repair expertise is to observe and assist senior professionals. That is why getting on-the-job experience is of vital importance.
It is the professional abilities that must be developed over time. You will fail if you do not acquire abilities. Apparently, you must develop your soft skills in order to advance in the field to high heights. It is not merely always about the abilities. Your professional talents are also very important.
Building & Property Maintenance Log Book: Maintenance checklist plan, logbook, and guideline for projects, rooms of preventing and solving problem Paperback – June 2, 2019
This logbook would be a great help for you in terms of keeping records. This has used schedules, checklists, and planners to make your life easier and less stressful throughout your work hours. It has all the necessary features that a logbook of this type should have. And they include columns for the date and time of service/maintenance, comment, and signature.
4. Earn licenses and certifications
Sometimes, you may have the necessary knowledge that you need to be a building maintenance worker. And you may have the necessary skills as well. But still, no company would recruit you as a building maintenance worker. That is mainly because you do not have any certifications or licenses to prove that you have the talent and skill in this field. Hence, it is indeed necessary to earn licenses and certifications.
So, what are the certifications that you can earn? Mainly, you can earn Building Systems Maintenance Certifications. You can get this from BOMI International. Also, you can get the Building Operator Certification. A network of approved providers offers this certification. Similarly, there are many other certifications that would be worth it for you to get. So, you can consider those options and earn certifications. They are important to show your employers that you have the necessary knowledge and competence to engage in the field.
Facility Manager’s Maintenance Handbook 2nd Edition
Here is another book that we can recommend to you in this regard. The authors of this book are Bernard Lewis and Richard Payant. Both of them are experts in this field. So, there is no doubt that you would be able to understand quite a lot of things through this book. “Extremely informative when it comes to facility management. Literally from A-Z, you’ll understand concepts, verbiage, and much more. I highly recommend it!” This is how a reader of this book has reviewed it on Amazon.
5. Get an associate’s degree
Next on our list of the steps on how to be a building maintenance worker, is getting an associate’s degree. Associate degrees in fields like facilities maintenance and building maintenance technology are available at community colleges. These two-year programs can help you prepare for more complicated maintenance tasks and higher pay. In actual fact, these are not mandatory. We have already told you how to be a building maintenance worker. But this is something with which you can add value to your profession. With these kinds of qualifications, it is pretty easy for you to advance in your career as a professional.
Facilities Management: Managing Maintenance for Buildings and Facilities
The author of this book is Joel D. Levitt. Once you move to higher positions in the building maintenance sector, the information in this book would be invaluable to you. So, no harm is done by taking a read of this book and getting to know what it has to say. Facilities management is a wide field that incorporates architectural, construction, engineering, management, and human skills, with a focus on the operation and maintenance of commercial, institutional, academic, and industrial facilities. If you are new to facilities management, this book will serve as an excellent primer on how to handle maintenance. There are plenty of ready-to-use evaluation tools and resources for further in-depth practical knowledge throughout the book. Coverage of essential components of facilities maintenance management, such as risk management, building safety, operations and buying, personnel, and more are among the highlights.
6. Advance in your career
Of course, this is what you should look at when you are employed. You always should think of how you are going to reach heights by advancing in your career as a professional. Of course, you must take continuing education courses to keep your certification or to improve your skills. Building maintenance workers that excel in their jobs may move to project manager, construction manager, or building supervisor positions. So, although you start your career as a building maintenance worker, the heights that you can reach with this profession are actually way higher than you may sometimes imagine.
So, we need to tell you that what you have become is what you can ultimately become by any means. Perhaps, there can be a lot of things that you have never tried before. So, have confidence in yourself all the time. Then, it would be easier for you to advance to higher positions.
What are the qualities that a Building Maintenance Worker needs to have?
There is no doubt that you can never advance in this profession if you only have the skills that you need. There are certain professional qualities that you need to have in order to advance as a building maintenance worker. And here are some of them.
- Physical stamina
- Problem-solving skills
- Customer service skills
- Time management skills
It would be better if we take a look at each of them as well. So, let us dive right into each of them in order to get a broad understanding of all that.
1. Physical stamina
Let us begin with an explanation of what physical stamina is. Physical stamina refers to the ability to sustain a high level of physical or mental activity for an extended amount of time. When it comes to building maintenance workers, you must engage in physical activities throughout your working hours.
You will have to work long hours as a building maintenance worker. If you cannot, you are probably not cut out for this line of work. If this is the case, you should consider taking a different career path. All construction-related vocations, on the other hand, necessitate a high level of physical stamina. That is a requirement. If your physical stamina is low, both your employer and you will not turn out to be successful.
Increasing your stamina allows you to stick with an activity even if it is difficult. It also helps to alleviate lethargy and exhaustion. Needless to say, if you want to work as a building maintenance worker, you would need to work on improving your physical stamina if you think you lack it.
30 Minutes to Fitness: Strength & Stamina with Kelly Coffey-Meyer
This DVD by Kelly Coffey-Meyer is an excellent resource for you to use. This includes exercises to increase your physical strength and endurance. It is also worth noting that this is a 30-minute tutorial. As a result, you would not have to spend a lot of time on it either. In general, this has earned high marks and excellent feedback. So, if you want to enhance your physical stamina as well as your physical fitness, this is the program for you.
2. Problem-solving skills
Of course, you need to have problem-solving or troubleshooting skills if you wish to be a building maintenance worker. Perhaps, it is the whole point of your scope of work. You would have to work on the issues that your workplace encounters. So, it is mandatory that you have sufficient problem-solving skills to work in this field.
The majority of these professions entail diagnosing and correcting issues. When you get a report that something is not working, you would have to apply your mechanical expertise and critical thinking to figure out how to fix it the most efficiently. And it is for that you would basically get your salary. So, keep in mind that you need to have troubleshooting skills to a superior level. If not, you would not be able to survive in your trade with ease.
Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills Hardcover – April 7, 2014
Michael Kallet is the author of this book. As we told you, it is of immense importance to have problem-solving skills if you need to proceed in the field of building maintenance. And here is a guide for you to refer to. This book would improve your critical thinking abilities as well as your problem-solving and decision-making skills. As this book has received good ratings and reviews, this would be a good one for you.
3. Customer service skills
The place you work at could be a place where plenty of customers come to fulfill their requirements. So, it is necessary that you are super-friendly with them. You need to have customer service skills at a very high standard. Of course, you need to follow the traditional approach of doing a business. You must understand that the customer is the king of a business. So, you must act in a way that they feel good about the workplace that you work for. There is nothing much to do here, actually. You are working basically for the maintenance sector. But if they ask you something, you can simply answer in a polite and courteous way. That is just what you have to do.
Customer Service Skills for Success – Standalone Book 6th Edition
This is a book by Robert Lucas. If you refer to this book, you would be able to improve your customer service skills big time. We think that this would be an ideal choice for anyone who wants to be a building maintenance worker in the main. Many readers of this book have positively reviewed this on Amazon. So, we are recommending this book to you.
4. Time management skills
Time management skills are unquestionably important for every professional. It is, nevertheless, equally important for building maintenance work as well. You would have to face difficulties if you do not have good time management abilities as a professional. Basically, you would have to plan out how you would get your tasks done throughout your working hours. You do not need any special time management skills to accomplish this. However, it is critical that you manage your time well. It’s merely a matter of doing some easy planning. Given all of these considerations, it is clear that time management is critical. If you do not have this level of quality, you would not be able to succeed in this sector. So, whatever the situation, be a competent planner in time management.
Time Management: The Ultimate Productivity Bundle – Become Organized, Productive & Get Clear Focus (Time Management Tips, Time Management Skills, Productivity Hacks) Kindle Edition
If you are looking to improve your time management skills, this book by Dane Taylor is an excellent place to start. Of course, you understand the importance of time. What you do not always know is how to cope with it, which is where this book comes in handy. That is why we decided to suggest this book to you. This has received good ratings and reviews on Amazon in general. So, this would probably be a good one for you.
The Bottomline
We have come to the end of the article. And we hope that you learned plenty of things about how to be a building maintenance worker. If you have an interest, you can read about how to be a plumber, electrician, mason, HVAC technician, ironworker, glazier, solar installer, boilermaker, painter, and so on. We wish you good luck in the career that you wish to go ahead with.
