A featured article in FMJ’s January/February 2019 edition highlighted a significant question: how does one turn the accidental profession of facility management into an intentional one? Resources were provided - links and conversation starters offering opportunities to spark discourse and elevate the game in local chapters. But now the question has evolved. Have you utilized those resources? Are you still in the “talking about it” phase? Have you taken the steps needed to initiate something of your own and are you ready to implement something new? Do you need more help to bring your vision to life?

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The future depends on what you do today.” Perhaps the most important thing we can learn from this is to not be frozen by our own inaction. We will not change the future of our profession by thinking we are unable to impact it. Every one of us is significant enough to leave a mark. We have the ability, the obligation, the creativity and the ingenuity to act for future generations of FM. We must actively seek a solution to our staffing needs as one vibrant, indefatigable, international organization, combining our resources chapter by chapter, as a unified organization.

The Denver Chapter of IFMA stands as a case study representing one path toward cultivating a sustainable future for FM in their community. In 2006, the only accredited FM academic program in the state was closed by the participating university due to low enrollment. While the loss meant fewer students would actively seek this career path locally, many within the chapter dreamed of both resurrection and grand improvement. Countless attempts would be made to establish connections with new colleges and universities, without success.

As the IFMA Foundation’s Global Workforce Initiative (GWI) gained traction in California and with the formation of the Chaffey College Student Chapter, the Denver Chapter became reinvigorated. Fueled by the GWI partner playbook, multiple conference sessions, the successes in California and 10 years of uncertainty, Denver got to work; this time their results were tangible.

Just as there are many ways that one can fall into FM, there are many pathways for delivering education and credentialing to help individuals better prepare themselves for entry into the profession. Significant results can be obtained by chapters, councils and communities taking the initiative to address the problem from as many angles as can be reached. It is important to initiate conversations with as many organizations and individuals as possible. We must be open, listening and ready to grow.

The Denver Chapter of IFMA uses an assortment of methods to increase awareness of FM as a career path in Colorado, the first being “prime the pipeline,” utilizing outreach programs and coordinating with high school programs such as SkillsUSA and the FM Pipeline Team’s implementation of the Facilithon. SkillsUSA is a career-technical student organization focused at the high school and college levels, allowing students to compete at regional, state and national events.

IFMA Denver volunteers at SkillsUSA events to judge competitions and to present a Facilithon event that introduces students to FM as a career path. As COVID-19 halted most in-person events, the FM Pipeline Team took their competition virtual, introducing in June 2020 the first fully online competition for SkillsUSA, with 11 student competitors and 24 volunteer judges from the U.S., Canada and Egypt. This allowed everyone involved to experience the judging process, in addition to the awards ceremony presentation, inspiring them to participate in future events.

Students are now asking what options they have available to learn more about entering this career. In partnership with Metro State University of Denver, IFMA Denver will soon initiate their first Introduction to FM course for a bachelor’s degree of construction project management with an emphasis in FM. The launch of this program is a testament to perseverance. It was a labor of love and a belief in the future of the profession.

A tangible and notable 2020 accomplishment is the creation of a Denver pilot of the Talent Development Pipeline Program (TDP), in coordination with the IFMA Foundation. This template can be used to replicate Denver’s pilot in other states and will help expedite successes based on Denver’s efforts.

Partner with the IFMA Foundation

Working with the IFMA Foundation was key for the program. They made the recommendation to connect with economic development. The IFMA Foundation established the contract with the City and County of Denver to establish the pilot. Their mission of making FM a career of choice can help your chapter with the connections and discounts for course materials. Use your resources, and do not go it alone!

Meet with local workforce development

Denver Chapter members met their local councilperson who provided introductions to the Denver Economic Development and Opportunity Office (DEDO). Meetings were held with a workforce project manager and a youth liaison within DEDO to discuss the FM profession and the extensive opportunities available in our field. Data collection was completed to qualify funding and an instructional pilot. Most workforce development groups will have access to workforce data useable to identify the job market for certain job types. This helped to secure funding to sponsor 10 students through a live instruction of the Essentials of FM.

Have an instructor

The IFMA Foundation does not provide an instructor from within, so you will need to find a credentialed instructor. Consider your local group of IFMA Qualified Instructors to teach the Essentials of FM coursework. These courses are scheduled to be 15 weeks long (a typical school/college semester), with one semester break and one class for workforce readiness trainings.

Fill the class

Fill classes by reaching out to the various resources above. In the Denver case study, eight of the 10 available spots were filled with minority men and women aged 18-25, half of which were military veterans. The workforce development team was highly influential in this process. The Denver Chapter of IFMA made several presentations targeted at youth groups to help garner additional interest using the IFMA Foundation’s FM Ambassador Kit.

Utilize the chapter(s)

The Essentials of FM, by itself, is approximately 32 hours of education. When presented over 15 weeks, this gives an instructor plenty of room for additional content. The Denver Chapter was consistently engaged and vested in the success of this project and offered speaking and tour opportunities through its membership. Ultimately, the group was able to include nine speakers, a luncheon, and a tour in the curriculum. Two guest speakers provided additional educational content on building automation and how to read architectural drawings. COVID-19 restrictions required a quick pivot to virtual learning, and while it limited the total number of speakers and tours planned, the program remained successful.

Host a career connections day

While COVID-19 derailed Denver’s plans for this step, nevertheless they advocate for it strongly. Career Connections Day is a mentorship day that involves working with FMs in several companies who are willing to take on 1-2 students for the day to show them their daily activity as a facility manager. The program includes lunch, dinner and an evening panel with additional professionals speaking about their paths in FM. The dinner is intended to provide students and chapter members an opportunity to network and make connections. This was created by the IFMA Foundation, modeled off the Day with a Facility Professional program.

Provide real work experience

Workforce development offices like DEDO are dedicated to helping people enter the workforce and have the funding to support work experiences like paid internships. DEDO provided funding for 120 hours of work experience for each graduate of the course. This meant that all local partner companies needed to do was provide mentorship and experience for students in the FM field, and DEDO handled the rest. This was a key element in ensuring a measurable outcome for participating students.

The steps outlined above were fundamental to success in the Denver TDP, which ended the semester with a graduating rate of 75 percent. Supported by the Denver Chapter, each graduate received a full IFMA student membership to continue their mentorship and chapter networking, and their resumes were shared on the chapter website to help them find permanent work in the field of FM.

Denver continues to move forward with projects to help further the FM industry locally. Discussions are underway at a local community college, with both the dean and the business school’s advisory board, to establish an associate of business degree with an emphasis in FM. Progress with DEDO has opened the door to other opportunities, such as classes for adult learners. There is money and opportunity for skilled apprenticeships for students to try out FM, augmenting academic courses with on-the-job skills. With this in mind, the Denver Chapter and IFMA Foundation started creating a registered FM apprenticeship program in Colorado.

We are seeking help to improve upon what has been started. So many of us want a very bright future for the built environment; now let us work together to make it a reality. This is a call to action:

Talk to the IFMA Foundation

Diane Levine and the board of trustees are rock stars with a wealth of knowledge of what is active and possible in the world of FM as a career of choice. They are also the creators and keepers of the GWI.

Talk to your peers

There is a wealth of knowledge with a depth and breadth within IFMA membership. Go to IFMA Engage or contact me. So many of us are deeply passionate about the future of FM. We love listening to what others are doing and making connections to add benefit. We are all in the same ocean; let us lift the boats together.

Shape our future

Time-travel narratives always warn against radically changing the present by doing something small, but barely anyone in the present thinks that they can radically change the future by doing something small. Each of us is significant enough to make an impact on our collective future. We have the ability, the obligation, the creativity and the ingenuity to act for future generations of FMs. Commit to taking the first small step today and maintain momentum, individual by individual, chapter by chapter and as a unified international organization.