i-FM: The online resource for facilities professionals

Before looking at the training process and possible providers, we should ask why training – what do we want to achieve?

If you are considering training for yourself, the answers may include:

• To improve my career prospects
• To understand my job better
• To have a deeper knowledge of my profession
• To keep my mind fresh with a new challenge
• To stay one step ahead of my peers.

If you are in a management role and considering sending people for training, or thinking about a new employee, the reasons may be:

• Enhanced knowledge of the job and the profession
• Increased ability to contribute
• Greater adaptability to new practices
• Clearer career path
• Better morale
• More job satisfaction.

Anything from a one-day course to a multi-year degree programme might meet these criteria – and there are plenty of choices in the marketplace. The decision will rest on a mix of considerations: the candidate's needs and availability, costs both in time and money, level of commitment to FM as a career. As always, starting out with a clear objective is the best way to ensure a successful outcome.