cleaning, above floor cleaning, cleaning and maintaining carpeted and hard floor surfaces, restroom care and more. Attendees have diverse backgrounds; we have seen individuals from front-line clean-ers to corporate chief executive officers (CEOs). Though the majority of attendees have years of relevant industry experience, a handful have made it through with little to no experience. There is also extraordinary variety in the types of facilities and organizations repre-sented. We have had both large and small build-ing service contractors (BSCs) operating locally and globally, distributors and suppli-ers looking to deliver value-added services to their customers, as well as personnel from educational institutions, health care facilities and hospitality establishments. Train the Trainer, though it hasn’t been held in every state, has received an attend-ee from every state in the union. Internationally, it is also well-known. Individuals and groups attending from places such as Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Puerto Rico have all benefited from the Train the Trainer experience. The course has also been administered on-site at various locations around the world, including Dubai and Qatar — a unique offering CMI has for its customers. CMI can certify members of your staff as trainers and then have them implement the training with your staff. Or, CMI can send a trainer to your facility to conduct training for your front-line custo-dians and supervisors in a setting in which they feel comfortable. ■ Marion Ivey, director of training for CMI ■ Bill McGarvey, director of training and sustainability at Philip Rosenau Company Inc. ■ Bill Griffin, president of Cleaning Consultant Services Inc. ■ Scott Kubec, master support manager for System4 Commercial Cleaning ■ Carl Bowman, assistant director of operations for the Custodial Services department at Ohio State University (OSU). Each instructor has a unique background and teaching technique that they bring to their classes. Bowman is the most recent Master Trainer certified by CMI. Starting in late 2009, OSU began using the CMI Custodial Technician Training pro-gram beginning with their managers. By 2010, they had moved onto training several front-line housekeepers and began the process of certifying additional staff in managerial roles. Question And Answer With Carl Bowman CMM: How was the Custodial Technician Training Program received? Bowman: When I first presented the program, management wanted to know what it was going to take to set it up and roll it out. They were impressed with the CMI training model, certifying trainers to then rollout the front-line training, and how well it fit with OSU. At first, our front-line staff was shocked because most haven’t had schooling in a while. But, once they began to get more into the course, they loved it. CMM: What were the short-term results? Bowman: Our union worked with us very well on this project and, working within their requirements, we began training based on seniority. After completion of the training, our oldest housekeepers actually became our biggest advocates for the training. In one instance, a housekeeper came up to me and said, “I feel like a professional now.” CMM: What long-term results do you want achieve moving forward? Bowman: We look to expand the program even further into other departments at OSU. We have seen a great return on investment already in chemical usage, efficiency of our staff and their overall satisfaction with their job. CMM: Would you recommend the CMI Custodial Technician Training Program? Bowman: Absolutely. A smarter, up-to-date staff is more efficient and motivated. I told everyone from day one, “This isn’t Grandma’s housekeeping anymore.” It’s easy for people to get on board, and it helps with all aspects of the job; we can even communicate better and our staff under-stands what to do with less supervision and explanation. The CMI program can help everyone suc-ceed. CM Keep It Classy The key to the Train the Trainer course is its dedication to educating attendees on the best ways to teach and inspire their employees. Many people in the JanSan industry feel overlooked, believing that most of their hardwork goes without credit or respect. CMI’s training programs have been used as steppingstones within organizations to encourage growth. Select organizations will even reward employees with different levels of comple-tion by increasing their salaries. There will be two more Train the Trainer courses in 2011: ■ September 20-22 in Albany, New York ■ November 2-4 in Philadelphia. CMI is always open to companies or organizations wanting to partner with them or otherwise collaborate and host a Train the Trainer course at their facility. Partnering with CMI has its benefits, including the chance for outside attendees to see how your operation is run and the opportunity for consultation with a knowl-edgeable and experienced trainer. In the end, educated and motivated staffs are empowered to be more diligent and take increased pride in their work. A Capable Cast With success at institutions and companies of varying sizes, the Train the Trainer course has become one of the most popular edu-cational programs in the JanSan industry. Over the years, there have been several people who have decided to move up from being a trainer to become a Master Trainer, allowing them to train personnel to become certified instructors at their respective organizations. There are currently five Master Trainers for the Train the Trainer course: www.cmmonline.com 29
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