There's no doubt that the facilities management industry needs to engage with the younger generation if it wants to stay ahead of the curve.
There are two things we know:
First: Facilities management is a sector filled with experienced older professionals. The FM industry has struggled to attract a younger workforce or college graduates. Many FM professionals who work in the industry say that they did not initially choose this career path.
Second: The pandemic had a significant impact on employment opportunities and career paths of 18-24-year-olds. Students may have had job offers accepted, university/college places reserved, and work placements scheduled to have them pulled away.
Many businesses and sectors across the nation have been scrambling to recover post-Covid. Some are irrevocably changed. Despite the conditions, facilities management has thrived due to its importance to businesses. The sector was thrown into the spotlight when keeping essential workers safe. Now it’s being used as a tool to help encourage workers back to the office.
FM’s biggest challenge is attracting enough talented individuals to the sector. Innovation is the cornerstone of FM, making it an exciting industry to be part of, and many don’t realise this. The sector would be benefit from an influx of younger talent with fresh ideas and an innovative perspective on technology. With the right positioning, Facilities Management could provide a vibrant and dynamic career path for new graduates.
But first, FM needs to do some reputation-building with that younger audience.
1) go back to school
Bringing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) days, innovation workshops, or even just meet-the-employer events to students from an early age can help ensure they grow up seeing how much FM has to offer. With robotics, sensor technology, and environmental sustainability becoming increasingly important in the facilities landscape, there are many engaging ways to present FM to school children.
2) Engage with colleges
Building a relationship with local colleges is essential for any business looking to develop a feeder stream of a new generation of talent. By offering placements you can create an attractive and convenient pathway into the Facilities Management industry for students and graduates. And if your company specialises in a particular area of FM, you could consider having a graduate scheme that targets that area.
announcement!
Out of 200 students at a local sixth form, it’s estimated that around 65% of them won’t attend university. We want to do our part with colleges too, we’re doing this by partnering with CBRE to go into local schools. This February, we’ll be collaborating with CBRE to hold a practice interview day for students. By providing support to students during this time, we can help them to make informed decisions about their future careers. It’s a great opportunity for us to educate others about the great career opportunities available in FM and Recruitment.
3) paid internships
With the cost of living crisis, university isn’t plausible for everyone. And a college degree isn’t always necessary to be successful in FM. Bringing school leavers on for paid internships after completing year 11 or college could be a great way of building up a younger workforce. It gives them the skills they need to have a successful career in facilities management and opportunities to progress as they gain experience. Paid internships provide an opportunity for students who aren’t interested or unable to attend university. It can also give you the advantage of having someone with fresh eyes looking at your business from a new perspective.
They’ll have the opportunity to learn about your business from the inside out – which is invaluable if they ever plan to move into a more senior role You’ll not only build strong relationships within your company but also ensure that future generations are well-equipped for any challenges that may come their way.
there's so many other ways we can get the conversation going.
Bringing more youth skills into FM is a win-win scenario. It’ll help to solve the talent shortage and give excellent opportunities to a generation who have had the rug pulled from under their feet over the past few years.
The FM industry is an incredibly rewarding sector to work in, with many opportunities for career progression. We must all do our part to encourage the youth of today to consider a career in this field. By providing support, resources, and guidance, we can help them to make informed decisions about their future. Through initiatives such as our upcoming practice interview day with CBRE, we hope to give students a better understanding of the great opportunities available within the FM and Recruitment Industry. Get in touch today if you’d like to talk about ways we can encourage the youth to consider a career in FM and Recruitment.
