As part of our Bright Futures programme, we welcomed Harriet for a week of work experience, giving her the opportunity to explore the many careers that support a commercial cleaning and facilities management business.

During her placement, Harriet spent time with both our Head Office and operational teams, gaining practical experience across multiple departments and visiting some of the prestigious heritage and commercial buildings we maintain throughout London.

For Harriet, the experience was particularly memorable because it also gave her the opportunity to spend time alongside her dad, Justin Gray, one of our Operations Directors, who has been part of Team DOC for 15 years.

By combining office-based learning with operational site visits, Harriet developed a greater understanding of how different departments work together to deliver professional cleaning services across a diverse client portfolio.

What is our Bright Futures programme?

Bright Futures is our newly-formed programme designed to support young people through meaningful workplace experiences.

The initiative introduces students to the commercial cleaning and facilities management industry while helping them develop workplace confidence, practical skills and a broader understanding of the different career pathways available.

Rather than focusing on a single department, every placement is designed to showcase how different teams work together to support our clients, colleagues and operational services.

Students gain exposure to real business environments, meet professionals from a variety of disciplines and experience the day-to-day responsibilities involved in running a national commercial cleaning business.

Exploring careers at our Head Office

Throughout the week, Harriet spent time with colleagues from several Head Office departments, giving her a broader understanding of how each area contributes to the success of the business.

Her placement included time with teams including:

• Marketing
• People & Culture
• Compliance
• Finance
• Administration

Each department shared how their work supports operational colleagues and contributes to delivering consistent, high-quality cleaning services for clients across the UK.

Experiencing a variety of departments helped Harriet understand that commercial cleaning is supported by a diverse range of professional careers beyond those seen on client sites.

Reflecting on her placement, Harriet shared:

Whilst working at DOC this week, they showed me how an office operates and the different tasks they carry out each day. I had fun with the team – everyone was so welcoming and caring!

Experiencing operations first-hand

Alongside her time in Head Office, Harriet accompanied her father, Justin Gray, during visits to several of the prestigious heritage venues he supports as Operations Director.

The visits provided a valuable opportunity to see how DOC’s operational teams deliver services in live client environments.

From preparing high-profile venues ahead of important events to meeting site teams responsible for maintaining some of London’s most iconic buildings, Harriet experienced first-hand the planning, communication and attention to detail that underpin successful service delivery.

The visits also demonstrated how strong client relationships, operational expertise and collaboration between on-site and Head Office teams combine to deliver consistently high standards across a diverse portfolio.

Reflecting on the experience, Justin said:

Harriet spent the day with me visiting some of DOC’s prestigious site. We started the day at the National Theatre, where they had a VVIP visit.

Harriet spent time with the client doing the pre-opening checks for the visit. She was given a short tour of the building and had it explained what they do and how important DOC job is making sure the site is presented in its best light prior to opening and during opening.

We then went on to the Royal Albert Hall and met Rosa, the DOC site manager. Rosa gave Harriet a full tour of the building and what goes on there. Harriet was very impressed with the Royal Albert Hall, saying ‘She (Queen Victoria) must have really loved Prince Albert’.

Through these visits, Harriet saw how operational teams rely on support from departments across the business and how every function plays an important role in helping our site teams deliver an exceptional service for clients.

Changing perceptions of the commercial cleaning industry

One of the most valuable aspects of the placement was helping Harriet develop a different perspective of the commercial cleaning and facilities management industry.

Like many students, Harriet initially associated the industry with frontline cleaning roles. By the end of the week, she had discovered the wide range of careers involved in supporting the successful delivery of commercial cleaning services.

Harriet commented:

There are a lot of different jobs holding the business together. A lot more goes on than I thought.

This reflection captures exactly what our Bright Futures programme aims to achieve.

Commercial cleaning businesses depend on professionals working across operations, compliance, finance, human resources, marketing, sustainability, technology and business development, alongside highly skilled frontline colleagues.

By giving students the opportunity to experience these roles first-hand, we hope to broaden awareness of the industry and inspire future career choices.

Developing workplace skills and confidence

In addition to learning about different careers, Harriet gained valuable experience of working within a professional office environment.

Throughout the placement she developed practical workplace skills including communication, teamwork, organisation and professional confidence. Working alongside colleagues from different departments encouraged Harriet to ask questions, learn new processes and experience how businesses collaborate to achieve shared objectives.

Experiences like these help bridge the gap between education and employment, giving young people greater confidence as they begin thinking about future careers.

Interested in Bright Futures work experience?

Bright Futures is part of our commitment to supporting future talent and creating opportunities for young people to explore careers within the commercial cleaning and facilities management industry. Find out more from Bright Futures by reading about our recent Broxbourne School Careers Talk Event

If you’re a school, college or student interested in learning more about our work experience programme, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with our team to find out more about Bright Futures and future placement opportunities.

Read the full case study on Harriet’s time at DOC here: Exploring Career Opportunities Case Study