There is a growing diversity of individuals entering the workforce, bringing different perspectives to the workplace and dramatically altering how and with whom business gets done. Beyond demographics, diversity is about leveraging strengths and varying ideas, points of view and experiences. Coupled with inclusion — incorporating what makes each person unique to create an environment that engages, welcomes and values diverse characteristics — diversity provides equal opportunities for career development and success, powering the relationships and experiences that will become more valuable in a changing world.

The facility management profession has evolved beyond buildings to touch nearly every aspect of a company, from operations and human resources to finance and technology. FMs work across business functions, making strategic and tactical decisions that impact space, services, costs and risk. Yet FM does not necessarily require an advanced educational degree or years-long training to get started or a prescribed progression from one job title to the next in order to advance. This presents incumbent workers, the unemployed and underemployed, and youth seeking career direction with an opportunity to enter an industry facing a significant labor shortage.

The gap between available FM talentand job demand is widening. The IFMA Foundation’s Global Workforce Initiative(GWI) focuses on attracting diverse talent to FM and supportingtheir long-term growth through continuous training and education. The GWI program connects with local communities to inform students, parents,teachers, guidance counselors,community organizations, economic development and government agencies about educational and employment opportunities in facility management. GWI partners, such as JLL, support the initiative to ensure the continued sustainabilityof the FM profession.

What follows are three stories of women with diverse backgrounds who never intended to work in FM; yet, now hold executive-level positions in the industry. Each discovered that the field not only opened doors beyond what they thought possible, but also fulfilled a deeply held commitment to excellence, instilled by their families. While these professionals typify the “accidental FM” — inadvertently landing in a role that proved perfectly suited to their interests, skills and goals — they are dedicated to finding and mentoring the next generation of FM professionals, helping them take a deliberate path toward a rewarding career.

Their career sojourns also presented an opportunity for their company to become a GWI Advisor which gives organizations one of the foremost chances of hiring the best FM talent for their growthin the industry.

Irene Thomas-Johnson’s father grew up poor. As a young man, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was deployed to Germany, where he met her mother, also from meager beginnings. They fell in love, married, had three girls and moved to Kansas in 1962.

It was a difficult time in the U.S. for an interracial couple. Apartment landlords would claim no vacancies once they realized the family was multiracial. Living in a perpetually flooded basement apartment, the family had little money; but her parents worked hard, kept their children safe and taught them important life lessons: take challenges head-on, do a job to the best of your abilities, be honest and always respect others.

Thanks in part to a two-year scholarship and Pell Grants, Thomas-Johnson attended UCLA and she got a part-time job at the UCLA store, working in the payroll department doing special projects. She was good with numbers and started helping in the finance department with statements, budgets and invoices.

When her scholarship expired and the grant money dwindled, she worked full time to cover her tuition and living expenses. She accepted a position as an administrative assistant at UCLA, and it wasn’t long before she was promoted to project coordinator, training managers on computers, inventory, budgets and profit and- loss statements.

She was promoted to project manager, completing tenant improvement projects for restaurants, the UCLA bookstore and office space allocations, working directly with architects and contractors. She taught herself the AutoCAD program to design floor plans that would help visualize office moves, retail space and conference rooms as the UCLA store and student union were reconfiguring and expanding spaces.

Over time, she became efficient at project management and was asked to take on the facilities and maintenance department. Although she had no idea what “facilities” were, she took the challenge head-on, as her parents advised. After graduating from UCLA, she spent 21 years on the university campus. Now she is a Certified Facility Manager® and the executive director of solutions development for JLL.

Over the course of her journey, she has grown her breadth of knowledge in facilities. She works tirelessly for diversity and inclusion in the workplace; and through programs like GWI, Thomas-Johnson pays it forward by sharing her experiences with those who can benefi t from a nudge toward an industry described as one of the bestkept secrets in the job market.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, USA, Antoinette Ferris was the fi st in her family to graduate with a college degree. Both of her parents had successful careers in engineering and parts management spanning more than 40 years with Rockwell International/Boeing. During college, Ferris worked as an account manager with Allied Signal, where she managed a large corporate account to deliver semi-tractor-trailer truck parts. A few years after graduation, she moved to Portland, Oregon, USA, to join Xerox as an account manager for its copier equipment and technology solutions team. Xerox was instrumental in her hands-on education of sales methodologies and technology solutions. The company also afforded her the opportunity to complete an MBA in international business.

After working for Unisys overseeing large corporate technology managed services contracts, Ferris was recruited by ARAMARK to lead its west region as director of business development for the IFM sales health care division, officially starting her 16-year career in facility management.

As the director of solutions development for JLL, her diverse professional background helped her prepare for a career in facility management. She has been able to apply her knowledge in sales, account management, relationship building and corporate acumen to the range of roles an FM must fill. She advises those thinking about entering the field that experience counts — no matter where one starts or what they do along the way, it all contributes to making a person a better FM.

Gabriela Stephenson was born and raised in Mexico City. Following her passion for troubleshooting and electronic devices, she pursued a bachelor’s of science degree in electrical and electronic engineering. She was one of only fi ve female engineers in her class. After graduating, she started at Johnson Controls as an application engineer programming controllers and PLCs in chiller central plants. Receiving a full scholarship to pursue her master’s degree, Stephenson traveled to Sheffi eld, U.K., to pursue her master’s of science degree in automatic control and systems engineering. When Johnson Controls International off ered her the opportunity to work in Scotland, her career in facility management began, teaching her how to facilitate cross-border collaboration. Upon her return to Mexico, she immersed herself in FM. Overseeing the launch of a new Johnson Controls branch, she was responsible for sales, operations, service and products, and built a team from scratch. She was recognized for the success of the branch and was transferred to the U.S. In her role as division IFM operations lead for JLL, Stephenson drives operational excellence and growth. She hopes her story inspires others to remain curious and open to exploring any opportunity, anywhere. Her curiosity took her around the world, led to recognition for her contributions and a prominent position she never would have imagined in her early years.

These stories represent just a handful of the brilliant careers that are possible through FM. While all three women have decades of experience on their side, opportunities abound across the FM spectrum for individuals at every level.