“There is satisfaction in making sure the school is clean. I have two kids in the school district, so it’s satisfying to know they are in a clean, safe environment.

Take a sweep with a custodian’s broom. Daily custodial life is more than simply collecting trash, mopping and fixing things. Day-to-day, head engineer, Mike Miller, works hard keeping the school clean, well functioning and problem-free.

Custodians must have a large collection of abilities that enables them to fix and clean almost anything. The endless cleaning, observing, fixing and even enforcing are all part of a custodian’s job. Although the job may seem easy, it is far from it. Custodians are what keep schools clean, up-to-date and ready for hundreds, thousands of students every day. Miller manages the custodial staff, and makes sure everything is functioning properly.

“We are here almost 24/7, day and night. There are three shifts to a day. There is always someone here. There are a vast array of things I have to take care of constantly. People are always coming to me throughout the day with things to fix. If I start a project, without fail, someone will interrupt me with a problem they need me to fix,” Miller said.

Custodians need to know electricity, plumbing and how to use a vast array of tools and equipment. Janitors, such as Miller, have a lot of stories to tell.

“I got two years of college in me. I mainly work in the boiler room. It’s where the school’s heating, cooling and water units are. I have to make sure they are all working correctly,” Miller said.

Miller is proud of the work he does. He is primarily in charge of the boiler room at the high school. The boiler room is the heart of the school. Hot and cold water comes and goes. Electricity, heating and air conditioning units are all located in the boiler room.

“There is satisfaction in making sure the school is clean. I have two kids in the school district, so it’s satisfying to know they are in a clean, safe environment. All of the guys here have family, they like to work the third shift at night so they can be home in the morning and be with their kids, sleep when their kids are at school, and then be there when their kids get home,” Miller added.

At the end of the day, custodians are just doing their job. Fixing what needs to be fixed, cleaning and keeping buildings running. Miller has a lot of experience in his field. Custodians provide a safe, clean and sanitary facility for the inhabitants, whether said building may be a school, corporate headquarters, or retail facility.