If you would like to become a maintenance supervisor, you will most likely be required to have experience in maintenance work. This might entail various kinds of service work, such as carpentry, plumbing and repairs. You will also typically need to have expertise in scheduling and hiring, as a supervisor's position might involve these duties as well. A good idea would be to apply for this position through contacts, classifieds or listings.
Without prior experience, you'll most likely need to work your way up to a supervisor position from an entry-level beginning. This means learning about all aspects of maintenance work. To become a maintenance supervisor, you might also need to brush up on skills that involve the technical aspect of this line of work.
Think of mechanical equipment and how you might need to grasp the basic concept of how machinery operates. If one machine in your company fails, you might need to offer advice on the proper way to handle a repair. You'll be overseeing the maintenance work of others, and if the training staff does not understand how something operates, you will need to provide full details. In the same aspect, if a worker does a poor-quality repair job, it will most likely be your responsibility as a maintenance supervisor to recognize this failure.
Repair workers will need to be trained in a professional manner, and as a maintenance supervisor, you will need to guide them along. It is important to have leadership abilities and practice them rigorously if you desire to become a professional maintenance supervisor. To move up to that position, you'll most likely have to prove yourself to your current supervisor and show that you are a good candidate for the position.
If you want to become a maintenance supervisor who excels at your job, you should understand that there will likely be other aspects of this position to master as well. You might also gain expert knowledge in other aspects of the business, such as heating systems, air-conditioning and electrical work. The more broad your knowledge is and the more diverse your abilities are, the more likely you are to be hired for this position.
Also consider the concept of accounting when seeking to become a maintenance supervisor. Keeping records of transactions and other important memos could very well be another one of your major responsibilities as a maintenance supervisor. If you have a good head for the business end and also for record management, this is a step in the right direction.
