Facility management Thirty or so years ago, not a lot of thought was given to facility management and what it meant. It was a thriving industry and was providing some very good opportunities for a great many individuals, but those ‘looking in’ did not really understand it. Sure, they may have seen various operations overseen by real-estate management firms or people hired specifically to run the maintenance of a building, but for many that is where it stopped. Many people fell into the role of facility management not by design, but by having seen an opportunity for some sort of advancement within their area of work. They developed over the years and grew into the role. Others saw a different sort of opportunity, decided that is where their strengths were and thus identified a career path they thought would be a good course to follow. Notwithstanding their reasons for choosing this work, both groups made a good choice. It is not just facility managers who realized this career path was a good one to choose; this industry is huge and as the years went on (beginning far longer than thirty years ago), many of these people realized they had commonalities with others around the country. Like-minded individuals got together and formed associations to allow a broad exchange of information and create an ability to grow. Take a look today at how many facility management (FM) associations exist: • International Facility Managers Association (IFMA) • Facilities Management Association (FMA) • Association of Physical Plant Administrators (APPA) • Restaurant Facility Management (RFM) • Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. (EFMABC) • Health Estates and Facilities Managers Association (HEFMA) • Louisiana School Facility Managers Association (LSFMA) • Association of Property and Facility Managers (APFM) These are only a portion of what is out there, all working to promote growth of their members and position those members for opportunities within the facility management field. Beginning with the early days, people moving into this choice of work would have an identified interest maintaining buildings. They may have learned certain traits through osmosis, working under a tradesperson; or they may have been a tradesperson who wanted to do more than build, install and walk away from the facility. As time went on, others became 34
Ops Talk • Fall 2011
By Chuck Morris
attracted to the work as well. Most soon realized either more education was necessary or to help them out, contractors were hired to carry out identified work within the facility. In the past number of years, more and more people saw the growth within this industry and the need to provide education centred on facility management, including all the various components that make up the day-to-day life of a facility manager. The various associations have been working to identify educational needs and bring in facilitators to teach numerous courses. The vendors who facility managers deal with on a regular basis have seen this happen and they, too, have stepped up to provide product- and service-specific training. What is even more interesting is the fact that colleges and universities are now offering a myriad of coursework to educate the facility manager through certificate and degree programs. Many facility management associations have now identified specific course materials that are offered at these institutions, and specify these to their members as a requirement toward earning a designation that identifies, to others, that this person really is trained and knowledgeable about his or her work. A facility manager needs to have great communication skills, enjoy working with people, and have good problem-solving skills and an overall focus on everything safety. A facility manager can be tasked with the responsibilities of looking after large commercial buildings, hotels, hospitals, condominium complexes, universities and schools. The work entails a very wide range of responsibilities, which could include staffing, all components of a building’s upkeep and renovation, new building projects, maintaining the surrounding grounds and if in an educational setting, may even be tasked with the responsibility for busing and fleet management. Facility management is a great career choice. If you love challenges and can deal with the unexpected with focus and determination, this could be for you. As educational requirements and responsibilities for the job increase, so too does the potential for a very good income. Facility managers are dedicated people carrying out their work in a professional manner that directly reflects on their demeanour, the organization they work for and the profession itself. íľş
