General Repairs Assistant

Oaklands College; St Albans; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site gym

Cycle to work

Generous holidays

CPD opportunities

Employee assistance

Job summary

Oaklands College is seeking a General Repairs Assistant to join the Estates & Facilities team on a full-time basis at the St Albans campus. You will help maintain classrooms, workshops, and grounds, carrying out minor repairs, basic plumbing and carpentry, decorating tasks, and broader facilities duties.

You will respond to maintenance requests, perform routine inspections, support preventative maintenance, and assist with health and safety checks.

Qualifications

• Experience in maintenance, facilities, estates, operations or porterage.
• Practical hands-on repair and maintenance skills across buildings.

Responsibilities

• Carry out routine and minor repairs across campus facilities.
• Assist with plumbing, carpentry, decorating and repairs as required.
• Support planned and reactive maintenance activities to keep classrooms and spaces functional.
• Support health and safety checks, compliance tasks and inspections.
• Assist with event setup, room preparation and furniture/equipment readiness.
• Support external contractors and ensure adherence to college procedures.

Skills

General maintenance

Manual handling

Carpentry

Decorating

Safety awareness

Customer service

Communication

Teamwork

Tools

Maintenance systems

Digital tools

Job description

General Repairs Assistant

Ready to help keep our campuses safe, welcoming, and running smoothly?

An exciting opportunity has arisen at Oaklands College for a hardworking and proactive General Repairs Assistant to join our Estates & Facilities team. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys practical, hands‑on work and takes pride in maintaining high standards across a busy educational environment.

As part of the Estates & Facilities team, you will play a vital role in ensuring our buildings, classrooms, workshops, grounds, and communal areas remain safe, functional, and well‑presented for students, staff, and visitors. Working across our campuses, you will support both planned maintenance and reactive repairs while contributing to the smooth day‑to‑day operation of the College.

As a General Repairs Assistant, you will support the maintenance and upkeep of Oaklands College's estate, carrying out a wide range of repair, maintenance, porterage, and facilities‑related duties. You will undertake minor repairs, assist with basic plumbing and carpentry tasks, support decorating projects, and help maintain the overall appearance and functionality of the campus environment.

A key aspect of the role will be responding promptly to maintenance requests and carrying out routine inspections of classrooms, workshops, corridors, offices, and communal areas. You will help identify faults, report hazards, and ensure that repairs are completed efficiently to minimise disruption to teaching and learning activities.

You will assist with planned preventative maintenance programmes, compliance checks, and health and safety activities, including fire equipment checks, emergency lighting inspections, temperature monitoring, and general estate maintenance. Working safely and professionally at all times, you will contribute towards maintaining a compliant and secure campus environment.

The role also involves supporting college events, examinations, enrolment activities, open days, careers fairs, inductions, and other student‑facing activities through the preparation and organisation of rooms, furniture, equipment, and facilities. You will work closely with Estates, Grounds, Cleaning, Porterage, and Operations colleagues to ensure the College continues to operate efficiently and effectively.

You will assist with maintaining external areas across the campus, including landscaping support, pathway clearance, litter removal, seasonal maintenance activities, and ensuring safe access during adverse weather conditions. You will also support contractors on site, ensuring adherence to College procedures and health and safety requirements.

Above all, you will take pride in delivering excellent customer service to staff, students, visitors, and stakeholders, helping create a positive learning environment across Oaklands College.

Is This You?

Experience

• Previous experience in a maintenance, facilities, estates, operations, porterage, or property support environment.
• Experience working within a manual or practical role involving maintenance and repairs.
• Experience carrying out general repair and maintenance tasks across a range of building environments.
• Experience working within an educational setting would be advantageous.
• Knowledge of preventative maintenance and compliance activities is desirable.

Skills & Knowledge

• Good practical skills across a variety of maintenance disciplines.
• Basic building maintenance, DIY, carpentry, decorating, and minor repair skills.
• Understanding of manual handling requirements and workplace safety practices.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities.
• Good communication and customer service skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a wider team.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and a proactive approach to work.
• Comfortable using maintenance management systems and digital tools where required.

• Reliable, dependable, and professional.
• Flexible and adaptable to changing operational requirements.
• Positive and approachable attitude when supporting staff and students.
• Takes ownership and responsibility for tasks and emergency situations.
• Committed to maintaining a safe, clean, and secure environment.
• Willingness to work occasional early mornings, evenings, or weekends when required to support operational needs and College events.

Safeguarding & Inclusion

• Committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults.
• Dedicated to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
• Willingness to undertake mandatory training and continuous professional development.
• Understanding of health and safety responsibilities and safe working practices.

Your Future Starts at Oaklands

At Oaklands, we care about your wellbeing and development. That's why we offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, happiness, and success, all within a welcoming, inclusive, and values‑driven work environment where your contribution truly matters.

Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Free access to our on‑site gym at the St Albans campus (time restrictions may apply)
• Financial wellbeing support, including savings on beauty treatments, Lambing Weekend, our on‑site zoo, travel via the UNO Bus Scheme, and more
• Cycle to Work Scheme, promoting active travel and healthy living
• Generous holiday allowance, giving you the time to rest and recharge
• Continuous Professional Development (CPD) with free Adult Community Learning courses and staff training opportunities
• Staff Development Days & Awards, celebrating your achievements and recognising your impact
• Mental Health & Wellbeing Support, including confidential resources and guidance
• Employee Assistance Programme, offering advice and support
• Mental Health Peer Supporters
• Eye Care Voucher Scheme

About Oaklands College

Oaklands College is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, and we actively welcome applicants from all backgrounds. Oaklands College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults and expects all students and all staff (including agency and hourly paid staff), irrespective of position or role within the College, together with Governors, volunteers, contractors, and partners, to share this commitment.

We review applications on a rolling basis and may close this advert early if we receive a high volume of interest.

Department Estates

Locations: St Albans Campus

Yearly salary: £27,344 - £29,877

Number of Vacancies: 1

Employment Type: Permanent

Employment Basis: Full Time

Job Advertisement Expiry Date: 30 September, 2026