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Manufacturing and technology company Honeywell is working with Leeds Beckett University to provide students at its school of building environment, engineering and commuting with a specialist facilities management programme.
The custom scheme was initiated by Lucy Hind, senior lecturer, facilities management, who wanted to add real-world sector expertise to the syllabus.
Hind said: “We’re working with Honeywell to create an educational series of presentations, interviews and events focused on building innovation, energy, sustainability and analytics to help our students who don’t have a traditional technical background grow their understanding of building management systems.”
She added: “The incorporation of experience-based insights into our curriculum enables us to provide practical know-how to back-up university-based theoretical learning.”
The programme is designed to support people who do not have a facilities management background by giving them appropriate skills and an understanding of the digital backbone that building management systems (BMS) provide.
The UK faces a digital skills shortage, according to the Learning & Work Institute. The Honeywell and Leeds programme is designed to help address this by providing students with insights and training on next-generation BMS as well as professional networking development. It is designed to give students not only the best start for their careers but also to reinforce the wider facilities management sector and the future of enhanced building operations.
Massimo Ferrari, European direct sales leader at Honeywell Building Technologies, said: “Being able to take a detailed look at your building and see how it’s performing is increasingly important due to the growing demand for improved digitisation, enhanced energy management and the need to deliver healthier environments."
He added: “A good BMS is the eyes and ears of a facilities manager. The Honeywell team’s extensive expertise can help students better prepare themselves for the challenges ahead.”
The curriculum series includes topics such as the basics of a BMS, how a BMS can help with energy management and how a BMS can help optimise planned maintenance.