Apprenticeship Overview

As a Property Maintenance Operative Apprentice, you will be trained in the mechanisms of buildings including electrical, plumbing, plant, safety systems and equipment. You will provide a first and immediate response to fault finding and assist in the prevention of major damage that could result in extensive costs and minimise reactive intervention.

With skills in property maintenance, you will have the flexibility to work in a variety of industries including housing, healthcare, education, leisure, retail, and commercial properties! This will give you the opportunity to explore different career paths and find the niche that best suits your interests and goals.

A minimum of 20% of your contracted hours must be spent in off-the-job training. This is predominantly done one day per week at college but can also include training sessions.

Entry requirements

English and maths GCSEs graded 3 or above (or equivalent).

Course Modules

Knowledge -
The principles and requirements of planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and reactive maintenance.
The range of building types and characteristic uses, their common methods of construction and typical defects, and the impact that property maintenance operations may have on building safety.
Health and safety regulations, relevance to the occupation and the operative's responsibilities. Health and Safety at Work Act Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH). Manual handling. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Working at height. Safety equipment: guards, signage, fire extinguishers.
Risks and hazards associated with property maintenance activities, and their mitigation using risk assessment.
Key regulatory and legislative requirements (including building regulations, the building safety bill, and BSI Flex 8670), and an awareness of how these apply to varying property types, and their impact on property maintenance operatives’ responsibilities.
Importance of establishing a safe and tidy work area, using appropriate access equipment, providing protection to adjacent areas, and consideration for the safety of other property users.
Common hand and power tools and equipment used in routine property maintenance tasks and how to use safely.
The common components of electrical and electronic systems, how to safely isolate electrical supplies and the procedures for correctly reporting identified faults.
The common forms of emergency equipment and signage, their importance within buildings and the preventative and possible corrective maintenance required.
The principles and components of plumbing systems, how to safely isolate, store and drain down water supplies to diagnose faults and clear blockages.
The principles and components of common above and below ground drainage systems, the issues that poor drainage can have on properties and how to diagnose faults and clear blockages.
The principles of good water hygiene to preserve and maintain the health of water systems within buildings and how these are checked and legally certified to minimise water hygiene and legionella risks.
The principles and components of common environmental and energy management systems and their methods of operation.
The common defects found in windows, doors, and glazing systems, the characteristics, uses and limitations of the materials and components used within them, and how these are used to meet statutory regulations.
The common types of materials and processes used to prepare, repair and finish plaster defects.
The common causes of painting and decorating defects, and the types of materials, chemicals and processes used in painting and decorating activities. How paints and chemicals are stored and disposed of safely.
The common causes of tiling defects and the types of materials and processes used in tiling activities.
The common causes of flooring defects and the types of materials and processes used in flooring repairs.
The common forms of masonry and damp proofing defects, materials and processes used in masonry repair activities: Mixing mortars, replacing defective pointing, laying and bonding of masonry, coping repairs and damp-proofing.
The common types of roof structures, defects and the types of materials and processes used in remedial and temporary repair.
The common types of fencing and railing systems, their typical defects, and the types of materials and processes used in repairs.
The common types of groundwork and landscaping systems, their typical defects and the types of materials and processes used in remedial repair.
Technical sources of information and data used in property maintenance operations.
The methods to record information and data via written and digital means and the importance of data protection and security.
The purpose of quality assurance and continuous improvement and how these improve commonly occurring faults or inefficiencies.
Environmental regulations and requirements: Environmental Protection Act, safe disposal of waste, minimising waste (re-use and re-cycle), waste contractors permit, energy efficiency, and contribution to net zero outcomes.
Methods of communication and when to use industry terminology to match the style to the audience.
The importance of customer service to their organisation, how to provide feedback to ensure customers are informed of property maintenance.
The roles and responsibilities of property maintenance operatives and the purpose and inter-dependencies of other trade operatives.
The rights and responsibilities of an employee and employer and an awareness of equality, diversity and inclusion, safeguarding and prevent.
The purpose of continuing professional development (CPD) and how this supports them to understand their limits for personal authority and competence.

Skills -
Plan the sequence of work required to carry out routine property maintenance operations.
Identify and select the appropriate materials and components for property maintenance tasks, ensuring these are compliant with relevant regulatory requirements and manufacturer's specifications.
Comply with statutory health and safety regulations and requirements.
Comply with risk assessments, and organise the workplace, to safeguard themselves and the property.
Comply with key regulatory and legislative requirements, including building regulations.
Uses safe working practices when carrying out property maintenance tasks including the use of PPE, signage, barriers, access equipment and ensuring work area is prepared and reinstated.
Select, and use work tools and equipment for property maintenance tasks, applying all safeguards, and ensuring the correct functioning of equipment.
Safely isolate and secure electrical or electronic supplies prior to performing property maintenance operations.
Apply and implement routine emergency system checks, testing and routine maintenance, identifying and reporting faults as required.
Perform maintenance and repairs to plumbing systems, including fault identification, safe isolation of supply, replacing components and clearing blockages.
Perform maintenance and repairs to external drainage systems, including clearing blockages and replacing components.
Perform maintenance and repairs to environmental and energy management systems, including fault identification, safe isolation of supply, replacing components.
Use carpentry and joinery skills to perform repairs to windows, doors and glazing units, and their associated fittings.
Perform repairs to plastered surfaces, including surface preparation, fixing and mixing materials and compounds.
Use painting and decorating skills to prepare surfaces for decoration, apply paint using brushes and rollers, and complete sealing activities using gun appliances.
Perform tiling repairs, including setting out, surface preparation and cutting around obstacles.
Perform flooring repairs, including setting out, surface preparation and cutting around obstacles.
Perform planned, responsive or temporary repairs to buildings or their immediate surroundings, attending to minor defects within either masonry, roofing, fencing or railing, groundwork or landscaping.
Select and use technical literature and other sources of information and data to address property maintenance problems.
Record and report information, using digital and written techniques.
Inspect own work, ensuring it is delivered to the given specifications.
Comply with environmental regulations and procedures. Segregate resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
Use and adapt communication methods for different situations and when, working with colleagues and stakeholders, using industry terminology as appropriate.
Provide customer feedback whilst maintaining customer service.
Escalates issues beyond their level of competence and authority.

Behaviours -
Prioritise and promote sustainable working practices.
Prioritise and promote health and safety.
Takes responsibility for completion of own work,
Team focuses to meet goals.
Contribute to equality, diverse and inclusive culture.
Seek learning and development opportunities.

How will I be assessed?

Knowledge Test (30% weighting): 40 Question, 60-minute multiple choice exam consisting of 30 Knowledge & 10 Scenario-based Questions. Minimum of 6 Questions will be on Health & Safety with 2 Scenario-based questions. Oral Questioning – underpinned by portfolio (10% weighting): The oral questioning session will last for 35 minutes, during this time the apprentice must use their portfolio to support their answers that demonstrate how they have achieved the knowledge, skills and behaviours.

Skills Test (60% weighting): 2-day (12 hour) assessment.

All Skills tests will feature the following elements:

· planning and organising work

· identifying and solving common property maintenance problems

· interpreting information and data

· identifying, selecting and preparing materials, components, parts and other resources required for each activity

· handling and use of hand, power tools and access equipment

· carrying out repairs and maintenance

· cleaning and tidying work areas, and preparing equipment for storage

What can I do next

This qualification opens doors across many sectors, such as:

Sector Examples of Work Environments
Housing Social housing, private landlords
Healthcare Hospitals, clinics, care homes
Education Schools, colleges, universities
Leisure Gyms, sports centres, hotels
Retail Shops, malls, supermarkets
Commercial Offices, business parks

Because the skills are broad and transferable, you can later specialise in areas like electrical work, plumbing, carpentry, or facilities management.