Building a Career in Multifamily Maintenance: Training, Paths, Retention
Learn how maintenance teams in multifamily housing can lower turnover. They can also create long-term careers with proactive training, clear growth paths, and strong leadership. Includes insights from veteran multifamily service manager, Berry Craven, at the 2025 NAA Apartmentalize Expo.
This guide also covers maintenance programs, and key maintenance activities. It explains how smart planning can reduce downtime in property maintenance and building maintenance.
Employee turnover is expensive… and right now, the multifamily market is tough. Maintenance technician turnover is a big challenge for owners, operators, and management teams in multifamily housing.
Key Takeaway: Careers grow where training ladders, predictable schedules, and maintenance supply solutions remove friction—for techs, managers, and residents.
Finding skilled maintenance workers in a competitive market can be hard. However, developing and keeping that talent on your team can be even harder. Candidates looking for “maintenance jobs near me” or “maintenance manager jobs near me” have choices. Your value proposition should show a supportive work environment, clear pay ranges, and opportunities for professional growth.
Depending on your source, the turnover rate for multifamily maintenance technicians is between 39 and 50%. The position of a property on that spectrum depends on several factors.
The goal for every property is twofold: find the right team members and keep them in the organization. The best maintenance teams standardize how they order supplies. They match supplies to regular work orders and use checklists. This helps reduce downtime.
What is Multifamily Maintenance?
A team that helps keep apartment communities safe, efficient, and ready for residents. They do this through preventive programs, work orders, and turns. Strong multifamily maintenance reduces downtime, boosts retention, and creates clear paths for technicians and managers.
Berry Craven, Regional Service Manager at Ginkgo Residential, is one of those people who found the right fit. He began in an entry-level position on a maintenance crew. Berry has worked at the same company for over 24 years. He knows how to help you find your fit and thrive in multifamily maintenance.
Berry Craven, Regional Service Manager at Ginkgo Residential (right), and MRO Show Host Adam Porter discuss multifamily maintenance. They talk about how to build a long-term career. They also share what management companies can do to keep talented workers on their team.
They also explain the technical skills needed for a maintenance tech. This includes safety basics and a high school diploma. They also mention stackable certifications that are common in industrial maintenance and facilities maintenance.
Berry says the secret to building a career in multifamily maintenance isn’t a secret at all. There’s no “short cut” or “easy fix.” It takes a technician who wants to learn and grow. It also needs leadership willing to invest in providing opportunities for that growth.
When those two unbeatable dynamics come together, great things happen—and people build careers that last. This partnership is made stronger by dependable maintenance supply solutions and vendor training. that keep maintenance technicians effective on day one.
So, how do property managers find people who want to invest in their careers? How do technicians find a leadership team that supports that investment? To answer that question, let’s start with looking at why turnover happens.
Why Maintenance Turnover Happens
It would be easy to say turnover is a problem because there’s so much opportunity for technicians. They can always find a place where the grass looks greener, or where someone is willing to pay them a little bit more.
The multifamily industry is growing fast. Occupancy rates are strong, and many properties need reliable maintenance workers. They want people who will show up and do the job well.
Strong teams keep records of regular inspections. They combine mix preventive with predictive maintenance. This helps reduce emergency calls and protects the work environment for residents and staff.
But these new opportunities are not the primary driver of a lot of the turnover. According to a recent National Apartment Association Maintenance Survey, technicians are looking for consistent training and growth opportunities.
When they find these opportunities, they stay. When they don’t, they are more likely to move on. Clear paths from entry-level jobs to lead tech and supervisor roles help people stay in long-term careers. This is especially true in multifamily maintenance.
Before leaving, though, Craven suggests a more successful approach—for the technician and the management team. “In the beginning, you’re learning the company, and they’re learning you… It takes time—and clear communication—to build that comfort zone.” That’s where standard work, stocked multifamily supplies, and a fair on-call rotation matter.
The manager should clearly define the expected standard and show the technician the benefits of meeting that standard. The survey shows that when technicians see their manager's dedication to helping them grow, they are more likely to stay with the team. Tie goals to structured maintenance programs (safety, building systems, and customer service) and celebrate credential milestones.
The Staying Power of a Clear Career Path
A structured training and promotion program gives maintenance professionals a clear path for advancement in their career. When they have opportunities for skills training and advancement in the organization, two things happen:
- Technicians become more skilled, more efficient, and more valuable to the team.
- The team becomes more valuable to the technician. They have opportunities to grow and the confidence that comes from having the skills to succeed.
When new team members see this dynamic in action, they notice their leaders investing in the team. This creates opportunities and builds a culture of mutual respect and shared responsibility. People accomplish more—and they accomplish it better and faster. Use vendor-led workshops and cross-training to build technical skills and reinforce maintenance and repairs standards across properties.
How to Find the Right Fit
What can maintenance supervisors and property managers do to find maintenance pros who want to grow in their careers? Look for 3 differentiators:
- How do they approach their work? Look for people who seem eager to learn, who know how to take feedback and learn from their mistakes. Ask about checklists, PM logs, and how they minimize downtime during turns.
- How are they at dealing with others? Success in multifamily maintenance is about more than clearing service requests. Do residents and coworkers trust them? Are they earning positive feedback? Great communicators thrive in facilities maintenance and property maintenance alike.
- How are they investing in themselves? Career-minded maintenance technicians lean into the opportunities to learn. They seek out certifications and skills training. Seek ongoing professional development. Consider OSHA, EPA 608, basic HVAC, and entry trade cards. Many jobs require a high school diploma and on-the-job training.
When you find people who check these boxes, invest in them. If there are team members potential who are not showing these skills, share your expectations. Give them opportunities to grow. Offer tool stipends, mentorship, and leadership tracks; align with suppliers that deliver maintenance supply solutions and training credits.
3 Key Takeaways for Multifamily Managers
If you are a manager struggling to keep qualified talent, here are 3 key takeaways:
- Map out clear career paths and communicate them early and often.
- Invest in training programs that reward initiative and growth.
- Hire for attitude and train for skill.
3 Key Takeaways for Maintenance Technicians
If you are a maintenance pro interested in finding a place to thrive, do these 3 things:
- Invest in yourself. Look for every opportunity to develop your skills.
- Embrace opportunities to develop “people skills” like communication and conflict resolution.
- Lead by example: Show up, work hard, find opportunities to serve.
Strong multifamily maintenance programs turn short-term roles into long-term careers. Publish clear ladders, fund training, and work with supply partners. This helps techs stay, keeps properties running well, and makes residents feel the difference.
FAQs
What is a maintenance supply program?
A parts and tooling plan that standardizes SKUs, kits turns, and aligns vendors to your schedule. The result: less hunt time, faster first-time fix, and measurable downtime reduction across properties.
Which maintenance programs lower turnover?
Standardized onboarding, 30/60/90-day ladders, preventive/predictive PM cadence, and reliable maintenance supply solutions. Tie progress to pay bands and certifications so technicians keep advancing—and staying.
How do I find maintenance jobs near me?
Search local portfolios and vendor partners—not just job boards. Evaluate training, tools, and maintenance programs—not only pay. Ask about promotion timelines, certifications, and supply support that helps you succeed on day one.
How can I stand out beyond searching “maintenance jobs near me”?
Highlight entry level careers momentum—badges, PM metrics, and examples of minimizing downtime. Note your experience with supplier portals and maintenance supply programs.
