Facilities Management Training gets a Boost

The ‘new’ Facilities Management training courses launched by the ILM in 2009 and the BIFM in 2010 are slowly but surely beginning to make an impact within the Facilities Management industry as a whole.  Offered at Level 3, Level 4, Level 5 and Level 6 the courses are aimed at individuals in the Facilities Management industry from inexperienced recent entrants all the way up to those working at director level and responsible for strategic decision making.

It is fair to say that the qualifications have been a little hesitant in taking off but, as the first students start to qualify, we are delighted to see that they are beginning to reap the rewards.  For example, the first person to achieve the Level 5 Certificate in Facilities Management in the UK, studying with the Xenon Group, recently obtained a promotion to Facilities Director and a substantial pay rise which he attributed directly to his achievement of the qualification.  Similar success has been seen at Level 3 with successful students obtaining employment with high profile Facilities Management companies over other applicants with experience alone.

The first students to achieve the BIFM Level 4 Diploma have now qualified and all have commented on the value of the course in enabling them to work more efficiently and giving them a much higher level of job satisfaction.  One of our students commenting on the Level 4 course stated that:

‘The subject knowledge and genuine passion for FM and its delivery make the workshops invaluable. Coupled together with the attention to detail and customer service makes for one of the most pound for pound, best value qualifications I’ve attained.’

There has been much debate in recent weeks over the perceived value of the various training courses with several posts on sites such as LinkedIn.  It seems clear from quotes such as that posted above, that the students enrolled on the courses feel they do have a value.  As someone who is heavily involved with the development of courses for other awarding bodies I realise that it does take time for a new course to ‘settle in’ and become both an established and an aclaimed asset within an industry.  As more and more students are successful in achieving the BIFM and ILM qualifications, the industry can only benefit.  Regrettably, it will only be then that their true value will begin to be appreciated.

For more information on all the Facilities Management Training and courses run by the Xenon Group contact Sue Morris at sue.morris@xenongroup.co.uk