What are the Different Career Paths in Facilities Management?
Facilities management is a demanding field that includes everything from leasing and budgeting to maintaining property and equipment. The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) defines facilities management as “the planning, organizing, directing, and controlling people, machines, and materials to supply a service.”
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In this blog, we will go through different paths for you to persuade. However, if you are looking for a qualification, we recommend you look at CMI College – the most trusted Irish provider of Facilities Management courses online. For those with no prior experience in facilities management, CMI offers beginner-level courses in Ireland. For the more experienced FM professional, they have level 6 and 7 courses available.
Before we go, it’s important to mention the skills facility managers need to have. Although facility managers may not always be seen, their work is vital and present every day. In short, they help an organization succeed by safeguarding its property, buildings, equipment, and employees. To be more specific, a facility manager’s responsibilities may include the following:
- Asset maintenance and repair
- Capital project management and budgeting
- Code Compliance
- Grounds maintenance and upkeep
- Occupancy and human factors
- Preventive maintenance planning
- Risk management and mitigation
- Safety and security protocols
- Space and inventory management
- and many more
So why is facility management a promising career?
Currently, there are many positive factors that make facilities management a promising career choice. It is an up-and-coming field that is growing in importance, and the future looks bright for those who enter it. There are opportunities across all sectors and business types, making it a versatile career option. Not only is the pay in facilities management above average, it’s also competitive across different fields. Sometimes called a “green career,” this field provides many opportunities to improve people’s lives and protect the environment. Examples of workplaces for someone in facilities management include hospitals or other healthcare facilities, universities, school districts, corporate office buildings, airport terminals, and industrial manufacturing plants. The following are 7 of various services that come under the heading of facilities management:
Building Management
The building management discipline is one of the most important areas in a new facility. These professionals are responsible for overseeing all aspects of the facility, including but not limited to front desk management, facilities maintenance, housekeeping, and food service. A building manager ensures that day-to-day operations run smoothly and that all repairs are made in a timely manner. They also play an important role in making sure that the building meets local, state, and federal regulations.”
Hardware Inspection & Maintenance
Maintenance for hardware involves examining machines or equipment frequently to see if they need repairs. Your duties will be inspecting and adding lubrication to moving parts, replacing old parts with new components, and fixing broken pieces so that they work again.
EHS: Environment, Health, and Safety
One of the most important functions of facility management is maintaining a healthy and safe environment for employees. This encompasses many responsibilities, such as preventing accidents, ensuring that equipment is properly maintained, following environmental regulations, and providing training programs for employees.
Space Management and Migration
There are many objectives of space management, such as allocating space efficiently, maintaining safety and security, protecting people and property,…etc. Achieving these goals can be done by identifying how much space is needed and then assigning it either temporarily or permanently. This process must be revisited often to account for changes in the organization’s needs.
Transportation Management
Transportation, warehousing/distribution, and logistics disciplines often require the planning, implementation, and controlling of the efficient movements of people and goods. Consequently, those who excel in this career path typically have strong organizational leadership skills as well as outstanding decision-making abilities.
Maintenance and operations
Maintenance and operations teams are in charge of the day-to-day tasks that keep a building running. These can be anything from making sure the plumbing is functioning properly to conducting regular security sweeps. In some cases, they may also be responsible for more complex tasks such as managing fire risk or dealing with flooding.
Emergency management
An emergency manager’s responsibilities include having enough resources available and knowing when to evacuate or shelter based on the situation. Factors that contribute to these decisions are time, location, size of the incident, potential harm from the incident, etc.
