To be an effective facilities manager you need to master the business skills such as strategic planning, technical skills such as computing, construction and architecture, and the artistic skills of interior design. In short, you need to be something of a renaissance man. Add to this the responsibility of being in charge of all aspects of an organisation’s real estate assets and infrastructure and you've got a job that's truly demanding. If you think you're the right person to become a facilities manager, here are some guidelines on how to go about getting this job.
First, let's look at your study options. The first and most direct path is to study for a specialised degree in facilities management. Several universities feature both undergraduate and/or graduate facility management degree programs. The other alternative is to graduate in a related field. This includes a wide range of disciplines such as business administration, architecture, engineering, construction management, or environmental, interior or technical design.
After graduation, you need to find an organisation to take you on as a 'cadet' facilities manager. Owing to the extremely broad range of duties and responsibilities of a facilities manager, you have a wide choice of specialisations. Typically general facilities managers cycle through a range of specialities to get an overall competence in the field before later settling into a narrower line. This will be determined by your preference for say, interior design, architecture or engineering.
As for your choice of work environment, it's also extremely wide so you need to choose one that best suits your knowledge and interests. Among the types of buildings employing facilities managers are hotels, hospitals, shopping centres, airports religious institutions, sports stadiums, universities, museums and government buildings.
First, let's look at your study options. The first and most direct path is to study for a specialised degree in facilities management. Several universities feature both undergraduate and/or graduate facility management degree programs. The other alternative is to graduate in a related field. This includes a wide range of disciplines such as business administration, architecture, engineering, construction management, or environmental, interior or technical design.
After graduation, you need to find an organisation to take you on as a 'cadet' facilities manager. Owing to the extremely broad range of duties and responsibilities of a facilities manager, you have a wide choice of specialisations. Typically general facilities managers cycle through a range of specialities to get an overall competence in the field before later settling into a narrower line. This will be determined by your preference for say, interior design, architecture or engineering.
As for your choice of work environment, it's also extremely wide so you need to choose one that best suits your knowledge and interests. Among the types of buildings employing facilities managers are hotels, hospitals, shopping centres, airports religious institutions, sports stadiums, universities, museums and government buildings.