While operating a scissor lift to clean a third-storey window, Rudi Sassenberg realised how little he had considered the work needed to maintain the buildings he once designed.
As a specialist operator for OCS, the former architectural technician gained a new perspective on what it takes to care for a building after construction is complete.
“I realised that architects don’t necessarily think about the maintenance implications of design – that somebody needs to regularly clean those high windows in order for them to look good,” he says.
Rudi’s transition from technical design to maintenance came after relocating from South Africa to Aotearoa New Zealand with his wife and two children in 2019. The family settled in Rotorua, seeking a safer place to live with more opportunities for his children.
However, taking on a cleaning job required Rudi to reconsider his preconceptions about ‘blue-collar’ work. He was apprehensive about how his children and their friends might see his new role.
“In South Africa, we had a maid and a gardener supporting us in our home – it’s very normal there,” he says.
“I had a hard time getting used to the idea of my children and their friends seeing me as a cleaner in New Zealand,” he admits. “But I needed the work to support my family.”
What surprised him in New Zealand was the respect he received as a cleaner. Alongside the work his family needed for a fresh start, he found a place where his contribution was valued and where he could see opportunities to grow.
Within his first three months at OCS, Rudi says he knew he was in the right place.
“I saw just how much scope for progression there was in the business,” he says.
Starting in the industry at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rudi joined at a time of heightened pressure and demand for cleaning services. He put himself forward for opportunities and worked overtime to support his team, showing managers his commitment to his new career.
Within a few months, he had progressed from cleaner to specialist operator. He completed his elevating work platform (EWP) training to operate scissor lifts, boom lifts, and cherry pickers for high window cleaning, as well as test and tag training for electrical safety compliance.
“I have a willingness to work and learn, and I never say no to a challenge,” he says.
That willingness helped him keep progressing, and he became the Rotorua contracts manager in 2025. His frontline experience now informs how he supports his colleagues.
He understands the effort it takes to keep a myriad of different facilities clean, the pressure colleagues face when a team is short-staffed, and the dignity of the role.
“Even today, as a manager, I don’t mind getting up at four in the morning to do a cleaning shift. If our team is stretched and we need more hands, I’m always happy to be the person who steps in to help.”
Rudi also continues to draw on the support that helped him find his feet at OCS. As his responsibilities have grown, he knows he can turn to other colleagues for advice.
“There is so much capacity to learn on the job from colleagues at OCS. No one is ever too busy to help, so I’ve never felt alone or out of my depth as I’ve progressed into management.
“If I don’t understand something, I know I can phone my manager Gail Robb, and she’ll talk me through it, or she’ll drive to Rotorua from Tauranga so we can figure it out together.”
That support, together with the opportunities to learn and progress, has given Rudi a career he is motivated to keep building with OCS.
Where he once hesitated to join the industry, he’s built a new respect for cleaning and appreciates the practical implications of building design for maintenance, and the care, commitment, and pride of the people doing the work.
When he steps in for a 4am cleaning shift, Rudi does so knowing what the job asks of his colleagues and what it has made possible for his family as they build a new life in New Zealand.
