It’s not every day that a former member of the team pops back into the office, but when Joaquim Martins, a recent JR&Co Star, returned his old uniforms, it brought a lovely moment of reflection and inspiration. Joaquim has embarked on a new and exciting career as a French and Spanish teacher at a school in South London, a world away from his previous role in the cleaning industry.
Joaquim’s journey with JR&Co began in 2017, and he quickly became a familiar and reliable presence across numerous sites, eventually taking on a supervisory role. While his ambition leaned towards education, the path wasn’t always straightforward. However, as he shared his experiences, it became clear that his time in cleaning was far from a detour; it was a training ground for invaluable life skills. “I learned how to communicate with so many different people,” Joaquim explained. “Working in various environments, you interact with different people for different reasons. This has already been so helpful in connecting with my students and colleagues.”
Beyond communication, Joaquim highlighted the often-underappreciated importance of a clean and well-maintained environment. “You learn firsthand what goes into making a good working space. It’s the foundation that allows everyone else to do their jobs effectively.” He even chuckled about the unexpected benefit of his cleaning experience: a dramatically improved speed and efficiency when tackling household chores!
One particularly insightful point Joaquim shared was a piece of advice he once received: “Cleaners are the undercover most important people in a building. They are often unseen and unheard, yet their work is absolutely crucial. When things are clean and organised, everything runs smoothly. But if the cleaning isn’t done well, everyone notices and it can have a big impact.”
This perspective highlights the often-invisible work that underpins our daily lives and the impact it has on overall well-being and productivity – a lesson that resonates across many professions.
If there’s one thing Joaquim would like to change is that: “Cleaners are often secret. But they shouldn’t be. They do such an important job and you learn so much. I would like every cleaner to be respected and to feel proud.”
Joaquim’s visit was a reminder that career paths are rarely linear and that valuable lessons can be gleaned from every experience. His positive attitude and the skills he honed during his time at JR&Co will undoubtedly serve him well in his teaching career.
It was lovely to hear Joaquim and his former colleagues reminisce about good times and hard work, and it’s clear that everyone here is incredibly proud of Joaquim. We all wish him all the very best as he embarks on this exciting new chapter, shaping the minds of the next generation in London.
His journey from cleaner to classroom star is a testament to his dedication and the unexpected ways in which our experiences can shape our future.