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Being a school caretaker involves more than just making sure schools are secure and in proper working order. The role is sociable, active, and engaging, allowing people to become valued members of thriving communities.
Even better is that if you don’t want to work nine-to-five or commit to a long-term contract, you don’t have to. For example, TIB Services gives people the freedom to find flexible, fulfilling work as school caretakers or site managers across the UK.
As a TIB school caretaker or site manager, you can choose from full-time, part-time, temporary, or permanent roles, and only take on assignments that suit your availability and lifestyle. Plus, placements are generally within 20 minutes of your home, and you’ll receive mileage compensation for any journey over 10 miles away.
To give you an idea of what working flexibly as a school caretaker is like, we spoke to TIB Services employees Jan, Ted, and Colin. You can also apply for a role using the button below.
“The flexible nature of the work is a big plus. It gives me the opportunity to work when it suits me”
Working as a school caretaker for TIB Services can be a great choice for older adults, no matter their situation.
Sixty-one-year-old Jan Evans has run a successful business as a private gardener for 20 years. But, as she approached 60, she regularly found herself working six-day weeks, which no longer suited her lifestyle.
While she still wanted to continue gardening during peak season, Jan started searching for something flexible to bring in income during the off months. That’s when she saw an advert for TIB Services on Rest Less.
“The element of the role I enjoy most is the ‘jump-in, jump-out’ nature of the position,” Jan tells us. “I can jump out and continue my (much reduced but still enjoyed) gardening business in the main season, and jump back in as the garden work eases off, and through the winter season.”
Like Jan, the flexibility of working for TIB Services is a big plus for Ted Dubowski (70) and Colin Solman (66), who signed up for TIB Services after retiring from full-time work. “I see delivering caretaking services as a great way to keep busy and share the skills I have learned,” says Colin, whose varied work life has spanned from family construction to aviation manufacturing.
Both Ted and Colin say caretaking allows them to help out with their grandchildren, and Colin appreciates that he still has time for his outdoor hobbies. “The flexible nature of the work is a big plus. It gives me the opportunity to work when it suits me,” Colin says.
What’s more, unlike full-time caretakers, working for TIB Services means you aren’t tied to the school holiday system, which makes exploring the world in later life easier. “I use my pay as a holiday fund,” Ted explains. “Since joining TIB, we have been to India. This year, we are off to Japan, as well as various European destinations.”
“I find it totally rewarding that I am appreciated”
However, working for TIB Services offers Jan, Ted, and Colin more than flexibility. Caretaking also allows them to engage with their local communities and give something back.
Daily tasks range from repairs and landscaping work to helping set up meeting rooms, all of which Jan, Ted, and Colin agree are greatly appreciated by teachers and pupils.
“I find it totally rewarding that I am appreciated,” Ted says. He recalls one day when he was given a bar of chocolate with a note inside. “It said, ‘Thank you so much for the work that you do.’ So it’s little bits and pieces like that that I never really got in my work as a joiner.”
As a woman in what’s traditionally been viewed as a ‘masculine’ role, Jan also sees her work as an opportunity to smash stereotypes and be a role model to the children at her schools.
“Some of the staff are pleasantly surprised at what I can accomplish, and some of the children are bemused and ask lots of questions as to who I am and why I am there,” Jan says. “But even if only one child sees that the future job market is open to both sexes and people of all ages, then that too is a bonus.”
TIB Services runs a volunteering initiative by partnering with inspiring organisations like Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice and Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People. So, if you choose, you can offer your time and skills to create positive change outside of your regular duties, too.
“I was very impressed by the professional way in which TIB interviewed me”
Colin tells us that working as a school caretaker for TIB services is especially suited to older adults because it allows you to use the skills you’ve gathered over your lifetime.
“My engineering skills enable me to repair most items,” Colin says. “From my construction and facilities management careers, I know exactly how buildings are constructed and how they should be maintained. And my home renovation experiences have given me the practical skills to carry out repairs.”
While practical skills are essential to work as a school caretaker, it’s worth pointing out that you don’t need to come from a trade or engineering background to work for TIB Services. You just need enthusiasm, decent DIY knowledge, and a willingness to learn.
Jan says, “I have life skills, so, at my age, I approach things with a calm and adaptable attitude and often see solutions to problems differently than the younger generation, as I’ve ‘been there’. But I also know how to ask Google if I don’t know the answer. And if I can’t fix something, I say, and the school gets the professionals in.”
To help workers begin their next chapter as school caretakers with confidence, TIB Services also provides free, comprehensive training in safeguarding, compliance, and health and safety. They also cover the cost of your Enhanced DBS check, which you’ll need to begin working in schools.
“I was very impressed by the professional way in which TIB interviewed me initially, taking me through the online training,” says Colin. “The team have been very supportive since I’ve been onboard, with very quick responses to the many questions I’ve got about my contract, the online training, and other elements of the business.”
“If you are still an active, mature person who is ready for a positive change in your job role before you retire, take a look at the TIB website”
Jan, Ted, and Colin are all keen to recommend TIB Services to later-life job seekers. “There’s never a dull moment,” Ted says. “TIB is a great company to work for. They’re friendly. They’re efficient. It’s everything that you would want from a company.”
“I would recommend working for TIB Services because, frankly, it just meets the need in us; flexibility, working in the local community, and feeling like you’re giving something back,” agrees Colin.
“It really is a win-win situation,” says Jan. “If you are still an active, mature person who is ready for a positive change in your job role before you retire, take a look at the TIB website.”
To find out more about TIB Services, head over to their age-diverse employers page on our website or read our article: How to become a school caretaker. You can also use the button below to apply now.
Are you inspired by Jan, Ted, and Colin’s stories? If so, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below.