Spotless Kaitaia sets the pace

ROLE MODELS: The trail blazing Spotless team at Kaitaia Hospital - standing from left: Denise Murphy, Diane Casey, Vicky West, Tina Snow and Colleen Davis. In front: Alma Stephens and Nancy Briscoe.

David Allott, national manager of Spotless Services, wasn't thinking about what he was going to say as he drove from Auckland on Tuesday to congratulate his company's team at Kaitaia Hospital. Rather he was trying to come up with a long list of superlatives, starting with 'awesome'.

Mr Allott was in Kaitaia to take part in the presentation of certificates to the Spotless staff who had completed Level 2 of the New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning, the first in the country to do so.

"You should be very proud of yourselves," he said, adding that studying could be a little daunting when time also had to be made for employment and families.

"But don't stop there. There is more you can do to grow your skills and develop," he said.

Tutor Barbara Gostal hoped her proteges had enjoyed completing the course as much as she had enjoyed delivering it.

"You all learned a lot from each other as well as from the course," she added.

"Every one of your contributed, and you all did really well. And when Level 3 rolls out, some time over the next year, go for it."

Denise Macres (from the ITO Career Force) said the graduates were now role models for the hundreds, perhaps thousands of people who would follow their example. And they were fortunate to be employed by a company that invested in its staff.

Kaitaia Hospital operational manager Neta Smith said the Spotless crew were very much part of the hospital team.

"I see you putting in the effort every day," she said.

"Thank you for keeping our hospital clean and tidy. You work really hard, and it is appreciated."

Alma Stephens replied that she and her team had not expected Tuesday's ceremony. Certificates usually arrived in the mail, and Kaitaia was usually at the end of the line.

She and her fellow graduates were very pleased to have acquired the qualification however.

"There's more to look forward to now than just pushing that mop," she said.

"I'm really proud of my team. I think we're in for a pay rise."