ISSA Establishes Academy for Cleaning and Facility Solutions Industries

ISSA, The Association for Cleaning and Facility Solutions is reimagining its online learning experience to provide cleaning and facility solutions professionals with a clearer path to career advancement with its new ISSA Academy.

Built around the idea that professional development should be a journey, not simply a catalog of courses, ISSA Academy unites industry education, training and certification in an intuitive learning environment. At the center of the Academy are Career Pathways, structured learning journeys designed to guide professionals from foundational knowledge and frontline skills through advanced expertise and enterprise leadership.

“With ISSA Academy, we are creating a clearer roadmap for professional growth while giving organizations flexible tools to develop their people,” said ISSA Executive Director Kim Althoff. “Whether someone is beginning a career in the industry, building specialized expertise, or preparing for a leadership role, we want them to be able to see what comes next and have the education to help them get there.”

Frontline Fundamentals

ISSA Academy’s Career Pathways provide a five-level framework that helps professionals progress from frontline fundamentals to technical expertise, supervision, management, and enterprise leadership. Along the way, the pathways incorporate many of ISSA’s recognized education and certification programs, giving learners a clear understanding of how individual courses and credentials can contribute to long-term career growth.

For example, frontline professionals can build foundational skills through CMI’s Certified Custodial Technician (CCT) Basic program and GBAC-Trained Technician education before progressing to advanced CMI training. As professionals move into supervisory roles, pathways incorporate programs such as the CMI Custodial Supervisor Certification, with increasingly advanced education supporting continued progression into management and leadership.

By connecting these established programs within a structured framework, ISSA Academy helps professionals understand where they are in their careers, what skills they need to develop, and what learning opportunities can help them take the next step.

Career Development

ISSA Academy is designed to serve professionals throughout the cleaning and facility solutions industries, including frontline cleaning professionals, building service contractors, facility managers, manufacturers, distributors, residential cleaning professionals, and emerging industry leaders.

The platform organizes learning around industry sectors and career development needs, making it easier for users to identify education relevant to their role and professional goals. Current sector-specific areas include building service contractors, healthcare, residential cleaning, K-12 and higher education, manufacturers, distributors, emerging leaders, and advocacy and government affairs, with additional areas planned.

Beyond individual professional development, ISSA Academy provides organizations with flexible options to support employee onboarding, ongoing training, career development, and workforce advancement.
Organizations can use ISSA Academy to create more consistent learning experiences across their teams, identify training aligned with employee roles and career goals, and provide employees with opportunities to continue building their skills throughout their careers.

Solutions range from individual courses and career-focused learning bundles to team training subscriptions and enterprise learning options, allowing organizations to develop an approach that fits the size and needs of their workforce.

To explore ISSA Academy visit academy.issa.com.