Career Profile of a Building Custodian
Job Descriptions December 3, 2012The responsibilities of up keeping a building are handled by the custodian who can pursue work anywhere across the United States. Small repair jobs, cleaning of bathrooms and vacuuming are among the duties assigned to the building custodians. Often, custodians begin working after the closure of a building for the day; they clean the offices to have them ready for use the following day.
Job Profile of a Building Custodian
Building custodians work to ensure the maintenance of office buildings, stores, hospitals, restaurants, hotels, and schools, among others are met. The job growth for property custodians is projected to increase by five percent during the 10-year period from 2008 to 2018 (source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), (www.bls.gov)). The projected growth rate is relatively small when you compare it to other occupations and has a high turnover rate. In 2008, a custodian earned an average wage of $10.31 per hour, and 2.4 million custodians across the United States were hired (source: BLS).
Job Responsibilities of a Building Custodian
The job responsibilities of a property custodian can be different depending on the building they work at. Ordinarily, regardless of the type of building, their duties include the maintenance of common areas and entrances, disposing of waste, walls and carpets, and cleaning of windows and floors. Apart from ensuring the cleanliness of bathrooms, custodians are required to make sure, toilet papers, soap, towels and other sanitary items are available.
Custodians might need to assist teachers or employees in setting up and breaking down meetings or events materials. Some of them are expected to fix chairs and desks, appliances, electronic and electrical devices, and leaking pipes among other minor repairs. They are involved in other maintenance tasks such as landscaping, mowing lawns and painting.
Prerequisites of a Building Custodian
There are no educational requirements to allow a person to become a property custodian. Many custodians learn the operations and routines of the job after being hired and assist experienced custodians in maintaining specific buildings. Though it is not always needed, many employers insist on custodians holding a high school diploma or equivalent academic qualification.
Physical health and fitness are essential to a property custodian who has to operate under demanding conditions and may be required to stay on their feet for long durations. For a building custodian to do an effective job, they need an understanding of repair techniques and the ability to follow directions meticulously.
