Coor: Many employees have been inspired to study the vocational qualification in cleaning services in English  Taitocase

 At the same time, Coor can rest assured that its services remain of high quality. The new vocational qualification in cleaning and property services and offered by Taitotalo has certainly filled a need, as Coor employs people from various language backgrounds.

Coor has been collaborating with Taitotalo already for years regarding various trainings. When Taitotalo launched their first training for a vocational qualification in cleaning and property services in English, Coor immediately seized the opportunity.

 – Our employees come from various language backgrounds. Everyone should have the opportunity to develop their professional skills, and it is easiest to do so in English, says HR and Communications Director Marie Styf-Mannonen. 

Coor has also organized language-supported groups when training its personnel with Taitotalo. After all, the Finnish language is the key to learning the culture and integrating into the country. Also, the training provided by Taitotalo keeps the Finnish language as a part of the degree studies, and the students learn the main professional terms also in Finnish.

– We had a hunch that there would be a need for this kind of education in English. It has been great to notice that many employers have started to offer this to their staff, says trainer Virve Gabrielsson from Taitotalo.

Motivated and competent personnel at the core 

In a labor-intensive industry like Coor’s, well-being and competent personnel are at the heart of everything. Styf-Mannonen emphasizes the importance of education.

– When an employee gets to develop his or her skills, he or she becomes more motivated and committed. On the other hand, as a company, we also want to make sure that our employees are skilled. Even if you have been in the field for a long time, the methods keep developing, Styf-Mannonen describes. 

For Coor, the development of its personnel’s skills can be looked at from two perspectives. On the other hand, everyone can talk about their wishes to become a supervisor, for example, at the performance review discussions. On the other hand, we look more broadly from a strategic point of view, whether the personnel plan corresponds to the priorities and whether, for example, there are enough supervisors. 

– We systematically ask at performance review discussions, if the person was interested in completing a degree. In addition, we have held personnel info sessions and distributed flyers. Many might not know about such opportunities unless they are told about them. And in order for the supervisor to tell, he or she must first find out what the training includes, says Styf-Mannonen. 

In addition to the trainings offered by Taitotalo, the company has its own Cleaning the Coor Way trainings, which covers everything from efficient equipment, machines, and methods to environmentally friendly cleaning products and good logistics. 

The hybrid teaching model encourages nationwide participation 

Taitotalo offered a degree education in English in a modern hybrid format. Employees have participated in the training from different parts of Finland – some via the Internet and some in the classroom. 

– This form of teaching is important to us. Our operations cover entire Finland, and when teaching is conducted in a hybrid format, it provides all our employees the possibility to attend. 

Taitotalo’s degree consists of five parts: maintenance cleaning services, providing customer-oriented cleaning and property services, cleaning services for educational institutions and daycare centers, work induction, and waste management services. Each section is followed by an exam. Not only does Coor value the teaching in English, but also the concrete aspects of the education. When the teaching simulates situations in everyday work, the lessons can be brought easily into practice. 

– Everyone has had a supervisor at their workplace who has also observed the exam situations. In addition, the written material has supported the hands-on exams, Gabrielsson sums up. 

Boris Dimkar got tools for daily work 

Boris Dimkar, originally from Macedonia, has been working at Coor since 2014, cleaning various office spaces. 

– My supervisor told me that for the first time, there would be a possibility to study a degree in English and asked if I was interested in updating my skills. I said yes, says Dimkar. 

Dimkar started his studies in the midst of the COVID era. Hybrid teaching would have enabled remote studies, but Dimkar preferred to sit traditionally in the classroom. 

– The education was really good and I learnt a lot of new things about the machines used in cleaning, for example. I received excellent support from both my supervisor at Coor and the teachers at Taitotalo. It was really important to me that I was able to study in English. 

Should Dimkar wish the work as a supervisor at Coor, that would be possible. However, he has chosen to do cleaning himself – at least for now. 

A glimpse of the future: digital skills and robots 

What does the future of cleaning and property services look like? 

–  Digitality is becoming an increasing part of cleaners’ work, as well. For example, reporting is done in different systems, and digital skills need to be developed, summarizes Styf-Mannonen. 

Robotics will also enter the field, but above all as a complementary element. Styf-Mannonen talks about a cobot, which refers to the combination of a colleague and a robot. 

– A robot can clean large areas and help the employee, allowing him or her to focus on those areas that require more attention to detail. Robots should ease the cleaners’ work and also help with ergonomic challenges. 

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