Interview with Helge, Trainer of the Year 2022

We decided to interview Helge Ald, Trainer of the Year 2022, to discuss training and being a trainer in more detail.

Please tell us first how you became a trainer.

Since my mother was a math teacher, I decided in my early childhood that I would also become a teacher. This desire and conviction were so strong that I didn’t even consider other options for university.

What is the best part about being a trainer?

When training leads to improvements and creates value, or when people’s eyes light up, that’s where the inspiration comes from. Primarily, through our training, we create value in cleaning. This means that spaces become clean with less time and fewer supplies and chemicals. However, there are also numerous examples where training has significantly improved an individual’s overall quality of life and has been akin to therapy. Inspired by cleaning studies, people have also made other positive changes in their lives, driven by new energy. It is truly rewarding to know that I have been able to contribute to improving someone’s life!

You spoke about the best part of being a trainer, but is there anything that could be considered a fly in the ointment?

That’s a very difficult question. Often, initially challenging situations and difficult individuals eventually become the greatest learning experiences.

But who is a good student in training? What are their characteristics?

An open-minded and engaged individual, though this does not mean agreeing with everything; initially, what we present often seems impossible or utopian. They are also definitely dedicated, meaning that during training, they are fully present—here and now. It has been scientifically proven that one cannot focus on two things simultaneously. The effectiveness of training is determined by the extent of changes in the student’s behavior and/or thinking after the course. Dedication is crucial for achieving outstanding results!

Please share a humorous anecdote from your experience as a trainer.

During a longer training course many years ago, we practiced mopping at the end of each day, using slightly damp and damp methods. The practice took place in the school’s long corridor, which had a parquet floor. At that time, it was cleaned as usual—with a bucket, a rag, and a splash of some chemical. The surface was “uniformly coated with dirt.” I told the school’s facilities manager that the cleaner wouldn’t need to do anything in that corridor for the next three weeks. Within a few weeks, this layer began to disappear, and the floor developed a slight sheen, looking quite good. One day, the facilities manager approached me and asked what kind of polish we had applied, stating he wanted to purchase and use it because the floor looked so excellent. I replied that we hadn’t washed it for several weeks, which was precisely why it looked so good. The conversation ended there. The next day, the cleaner came to me, inquiring about the name of the chemical, as they also desired such great results. It then dawned on me that my explanation from the previous day hadn’t been believed; they thought it was a mysterious product whose name I was unwilling to disclose. It seemed unrealistic that the floor looked good simply because it hadn’t been washed for several weeks… but that was indeed the case.

Have you also had any unpleasant experiences?

Another difficult question, but yes. For several consecutive years, we conducted training at a particular school during every spring break. Each time, the facilities manager stated that he did not have time to participate, and it was sufficient for the cleaning staff to be present. Despite numerous training sessions, nothing changed there. The training was delivered, people were generally positive, listened attentively, but everything continued as before in their daily work. As a trainer, this creates a sense of emptiness and worthlessness. However, this very experience prompted me to consider what truly needs to be done to effect real changes in cleaning. Training alone is insufficient in such cases. What is crucial is follow-up, a clear and universally understood vision for what will be done differently and why, and the consistent observation and practice of these changes in daily operations.

You are the Trainer of the Year 2022. Is there still room for further improvement?

Oh, always and without exception. Being a trainer is an endless journey—one can never be ‘finished.’ In a sense, everything continues as before: seeking new knowledge, experimenting, maintaining an interest in people and the development of the field, sharing existing experiences, and inspiring others. At the same time, the responsibility feels greater, especially with the title of Trainer of the Year.

The title has brought with it a wealth of special, warm, and valuable feedback. I have received ample confirmation that a trainer is a crucial source of inspiration. Information is abundant today, perhaps even too much. What becomes decisive is whether and what people choose to utilize, and here, the trainer’s inspiration plays a significant role.

(Takes a moment to reflect, considering what the most crucial area for current improvement would be.)

Time is an irreplaceable resource. In the world we inhabit, where one crisis barely ends before another begins, it is evident from all perspectives that we can no longer live as before. In the cleaning sector, I see the greatest opportunity in needs-based operations: agreeing on how often and how clean surfaces must be, removing only the dirt that should not be present, and doing so with minimal resources—water, cleaning agents, and supplies. Needs-based activity is essential precisely because cleaning services are not a glamorous field. I see significant potential here and, based on my experience, I dare say that at least 40% of current cleaning activities are unnecessary or worthless work. I aspire to be a guide for business leaders, cleaning managers, and cleaning staff in achieving truly needs-based cleaning. To this end, I wish to help each individual identify the necessary steps to take, inspire them to act, and then assist them in discerning subsequent steps. I aim to improve my ability to highlight manageable steps from each person’s perspective and motivate them to implement these changes.

Let’s also discuss some figures. Have you considered how many training sessions you have conducted during this period? Or, for instance, how many individuals you have trained?

No, but let’s try to clarify. I have actually been training for over 30 years, though for the first few years, handicrafts—weaving on looms and knitting with needles—were my passion. I had numerous students; I have taught over 100 people to weave on looms.

Training in the cleaning sector began in 1993 when I was a teacher at a vocational school. Puhastusekspert is now 24 years old, and our annual number of learners has been in the range of 600-1000 students in recent years. Additionally, there are various lectures and training sessions whose participants are not included in our official student list. When applying for the adult educator’s professional qualification every five years, the volume of conducted training sessions must be detailed in the self-analysis. Reviewing these figures, I have, for many years, trained for an average of approximately 800 hours annually. Therefore, I would venture to say that I have conducted around 23,000 hours of cleaning-related training. The number of trainees I have interacted with certainly amounts to thousands (perhaps even a five-digit figure).

Those are quite impressive figures. Now, let’s discuss changes. What was the role of a trainer when you began, and what is it today?

The role of a trainer is like a kaleidoscope with various facets. Certain aspects of the role may be dormant at times but are always present, becoming more prominent as time progresses. For instance, the trainer’s own enthusiasm and capacity to inspire have always been important, but this role has become even more critical today. In the early days of being a cleaning trainer, a significant challenge was sourcing material for lessons. A considerable amount of time was dedicated to searching for and translating materials. Today, there is an abundance of resources; the key is simply to ascertain their reliability, understand what is factual, and identify what is truly necessary. Additionally, it involves seeking independent scientific articles related to the field, and so forth.

We live in the information age, which, as you mentioned, is reflected in the evolving role of the trainer—there is an abundance of materials, and the correct ones must be selected. What development trends do you foresee for the trainer’s role in the future? Is the trainer’s role also in constant flux, and are training methods becoming increasingly digital?

The entire world is in constant flux, and so is the role of a trainer. A trainer’s role is to act as a guide, indicating where, why, and how to progress to improve in a certain area, feel more comfortable, and so forth. Often, one must be ahead of the curve, yet without moving too far ahead, as this would sever the connection with the trainees. If training sessions merely address yesterday’s topics, it becomes a history lesson—valuable to know, but it fails to create new value.

Just as in all other sectors, digital technology is increasingly being utilized in cleaning. This presents trainers with new development challenges, opening doors to an exciting new world. For instance, digital technology can collect information on how many clients use restrooms at specific times, when trash bins become full, or paper dispensers are empty. The availability of such data enables the development and implementation of truly needs-based cleaning. This is where the trainer’s role becomes crucial: digital technology gathers data, but the trainer guides on what data to collect, what conclusions to draw from it, what new approaches to adopt, and so forth.

Today, all of Puhastusekspert’s training materials and final tests are in an electronic environment. While studying to become a teacher at university, I was entirely convinced that I would never touch a computer, and my primary tools would be knitting needles and looms. We even managed to persuade the dean’s office to remove computer science from our curriculum, arguing it was a worthless subject, and we successfully proved this point. Today, everything has completely transformed and continues to evolve. It is exciting to embrace these developments, to be an inspirer and a pioneer.

Thank you for this inspiring story. Is there anything else you would like to add?

I became a cleaning instructor by chance. If someone had shown me a film of my life in October 2022, thirty years ago when I was nearing the end of university, I would not have believed a single aspect of it. Yet, this is how it has unfolded, and I am immensely happy and grateful for it. I love my work! It is not merely a job, but a lifestyle—to inspire the conscious creation of a cleaner world!

Thank you, and best of luck!