Developing FM
FM's future leaders PDF Print E-mail
Written by Jason Cousins, July 2006   
Is the FM industry doing enough to nurture its young 'leaders of the future'? The short answer is no, except for one small group that has big plans.

Some ten years ago the first chairman of the Facilities Management Association (FMA) had the foresight to recommend that the Association should support a new Young Manager of the Year Award at the annual Premises & Facilities Management Partnership Awards.

The FMA is the UK employers' sector representative body to the CBI and the Treasury, and has a diverse membership made up of major companies that range from client-side FM teams, through multi- and single-service providers, consultant facilities managers, software designers and recruitment specialists, to national contractors.

To date, there have been more than 100 contenders for the Young Manager of the Year Award. That sounds a lot, but in fact there is a critical shortage of young managers in the industry. In response to this fact - and in response to a keen interest they have in interacting with their peers - the FMA set up the Young Managers Forum (YMF). The success of the forum has been down to the enthusiasm, ambition and vision of its members, who are keen to develop and rapidly grow the group into a recognised and influential body.

However, it appears that most members of the YMF have fallen into FM as a career rather than taking a considered judgement when making their career choice. In an industry that requires considerable knowledge and committed personnel, this is not good enough to provide a sufficient pool of bright and experienced managers to lead a fast-moving and changing profession.

YMF committee members are generally drawn from the finalists of the Young Manager of the Year scheme, which is judged by a mixture of FMA and YMF members. They regularly attend chaired meetings, in part designed to attract new members, and are prepared to support and carry out tasks for the benefit of young people in FM.

The main purposes of the Young Managers Forum are:

  • To provide a focus for young FM staff, trainees and students and to provide a network for bright young managers;
  • To run events and debates of interest to all members that will encourage networking and progress within the industry;
  • To work with schools, colleges and universities to promote the FM profession;
  • To provide a forum for young people in FM to gain information and knowledge;
  • To encourage links with businesses and other professions, media and the public to raise the profile of FM;
  • To arrange joint events between the Young Managers Forum and other industry-related groups;
  • To have fun and enjoy the opportunities of the Forum.
YMF committee members have debated at length the issues involved in bringing young and qualified people into the industry and have strong views on what can be accomplished by the group and how the support of professional bodies is essential to the industry's future success.

It is believed that only chartered status of one of the FM professional bodies can ensure that FM is taken seriously by educational institutions, other property-related chartered groups such a CIOB, RICS and RIBA - and gain the credibility in the boardroom enjoyed by HR and IT professionals. Rebecca Bradley, Head of Facilities at London Stock Exchange, says: "If we are serious about wanting to evolve our industry into a respected profession that bright young graduates opt for over other 'property' professions such as surveying, project management and architecture, there seems little other choice than to campaign for Chartered status."

To this end, YMF committee members are campaigning for such recognition with senior members of the FM industry.

With the assistance of the FMA, committee members featured in a 15-minute DVD showing them at work and explaining some of the variety of jobs that they carry out. This has been presented to university careers advisors to great effect and has also brought attention to the fact that nowhere in their careers advice literature is FM mentioned. This is one of many areas that the committee is working to rectify. It is with great regret that we see pre- and post-graduate FM courses in colleges and universities on the decline, with a fall in attendance. By working with careers advisors and providing information on career paths and FM job outlines the committee hopes to reverse this trend.

Attendance at events that the YMF has organised is growing fast. Membership, and attendance, is free. Events are generally based on a building visit or a gathering at an informal venue, with a speaker, where young managers learn about a specific practical topic, view the inner workings and operations within various buildings and ultimately have the opportunity to share knowledge with one another. Attendees have been excited by what the Forum is undertaking and accomplishing, and many have shown a keen interest in getting involved and introducing new members. Interest in sponsoring the Forum, and the events, is growing at an amazing pace with recognised and highly regarded speakers keen to get a spot for one of the future dates.

As the Young Managers Forum grows, there are plans for more events, debates, regular newsletters and social gatherings. If you would like to receive details of these, have an interesting subject you are keen to deliver to young people or are willing to sponsor any of the Forum's initiatives, you can visit the FMA website (www.fmassociation.org.uk) to register your interest.

About the author
Jason Cousins is Chairman of Young Managers Forum at the Facilities Management Association. Please visit www.fmassociation.org.uk
 
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