Understanding a maintenance work order
Learners read a fictional digital work order, find where and when the task is planned and write a message asking for clarification.
ReadingWritingDigital skills
Open caseBuilding Caretaker
Building caretakers work with the practical operation, follow-up and maintenance of buildings and outdoor areas. The work may include checking technical installations, communicating with users and suppliers, documentation and planning tasks.
Building operations and facility servicesDraft – pending professional validationVersion 0.1 · last reviewed 2026-10-09
ReadingWritingNumeracyOral communicationDigital skillsCritical thinking
The occupation and work tasks
Many organisations use digital systems for operations, work orders, recording deviations and monitoring energy use. Tasks vary with the type of building, the organisation and the employee’s competence and responsibilities. Building operator (byggdrifter) is a related title, but the roles do not necessarily have the same qualifications or responsibilities.
Typical work tasks
- Read work descriptions and messages.
- Follow up practical operational tasks.
- Communicate with users, colleagues and suppliers.
- Record deviations and maintenance needs.
- Use meter readings and simple numerical information.
- Use digital work and operations systems.
- Document completed work.
Developments affecting the occupation
- Digital operations systems and work orders
- Meter data and energy overviews
- Automated alerts and decision support
Basic skills in the workplace
Norway officially defines five basic skills. Critical thinking is an additional competence area adopted by Prios. Tasks are typical examples, not mandatory requirements or fixed frequencies.
Find, understand and use information about operations, tasks and maintenance.
About the skillDaily tasks
- Read work orders and task lists.
- Understand short messages and instructions.
- Read relevant information from digital systems.
Regular tasks
- Read operation and maintenance plans.
- Understand information from suppliers.
- Find information in user manuals.
Occasional tasks
- Read updated routines and guidance.
- Find information about energy use.
- Familiarise yourself with new digital solutions.
AI and new technology
Understanding information – not the technical operation or programming of building control systems. Supplementary topic, not an official basic skill.
Digital operations systems can provide a better overview of tasks, energy use and technical conditions in buildings. Some systems use automated analysis or AI-supported decision support. Employees can benefit from understanding the information, checking results and knowing the limitations of the technology.
Reading operational information
Overviews and logs must be read and understood correctly.
Comparing figures
Meter data only make sense when compared and explained.
Knowing the limits
Automated recommendations can be wrong or incomplete.
1. Digital work orders and operations logs
Exercise: Find what, where and when in a fictional work order.
2. Meter data and energy overviews
Read a fictional monthly overview and describe the trend.
3. Automated information and alerts
Discuss: What do you do when an alert seems unclear?
4. Critically assessing system recommendations
What information is missing before a recommendation can be followed?
Suggested learning outcomes
- Understand simple digital operational information.
- Read and compare figures in overviews.
- Identify information that needs clarifying.
- Understand that automated recommendations can be wrong or incomplete.
Teaching cases
Understanding energy consumption
Learners read fictional monthly figures, calculate the change and discuss what the figures do not tell us. No technical causes or operational advice are given.
NumeracyReadingDigital skillsCritical thinking
Open caseHandling conflicting information
Learners compare two fictional messages about the same task, find the differences and ask for clarification in writing and orally.
Critical thinkingReadingWritingOral communication
Open caseRelated resources
External link
External resources
Utdanning.no – Building operator
Occupational description from utdanning.no for building operator, a title related to caretaker. Provides occupational context for teaching.
Reading
Utdanning.noNO
Open resourceExternal link
External resources
Occupational basic skills profiles
Explore how basic skills are used in different occupations.
HK-dirNO
Open resourceExercise
Teaching activities
Check the source before sharing
Source criticism online: check sender, date and purpose before using or sharing information.
Digital skillsCritical thinkingReading
#Source criticism and information evaluation#Media literacy
Teaching example from PriosNO / EN
Open resourceExercise
Digital learning resources
Check the AI answer
Evaluate whether AI-generated information is correct and relevant before using it at work.
Critical thinkingDigital skillsReading
#Digital judgement#Source criticism and information evaluation
Teaching example from PriosNO / EN
Open resourceHow to use this profile when planning teaching
The occupational profile supports the planning of basic skills training. It is not a vocational training course.
- 1
Identify relevant workplace tasks
Choose tasks from the profile that participants recognise from their own working day.
- 2
Discuss participants' previous experience
What do participants already know and do? Many are experienced in their occupation.
- 3
Identify basic skill needs
Clarify where participants find reading, writing, numeracy, oral, digital or critical thinking challenging.
- 4
Select relevant learning objectives
Describe what the participant should be able to do better – in basic skills, not in the occupation itself.
- 5
Choose practical teaching cases and resources
Use the cases and resources in the profile as a starting point for practical exercises.
- 6
Adapt activities to participants' levels
Make tasks simpler or more demanding depending on participants’ skills.
- 7
Reflect on learning outcomes
Talk with participants about what they now handle better at work.
Questions for planning
- Which tasks in the profile do participants recognise?
- Which skill would be most useful in their working day?
- How can the cases be adapted to participants’ levels?