Facilitate Magazine March 2020

Building for the future

How is it March already? We’re weeks away from IWFM Conference 2020 – 24 March – with several insightful and inspirational speakers primed to inform and motivate us. There’s still time to book your place.

Despite 2020’s haste, much has been achieved already and this month’s theme of construction brings to mind two kinds of building: the literal and the figurative. On the literal side, we have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA). This important relationship brings together two of the UK’s principle figures in the built environment and together we can and, I’m sure, will have a demonstrable impact on improving the built environment and operational use of buildings.

Figuratively building, our IWFM Policy team has secured support from the Department for Work and Pensions for our ‘Career of Choice’ programme, developed in partnership with Class of Your Own.

‘Career of Choice’ is a critical element of how we build for the future: encouraging young people to join the profession, rather than fall into it, by direct engagement between professionals and secondary school children. The DWP has instructed service leaders across the UK to encourage schools to participate
in the programme and introduce the next generations to workplace and facilities management. But to make the programme really fly we need your support too.

Could you visit a local school and promote the profession to young people? Please visit iwfm.org.uk/career-of-choice, where you’ll find more information and useful resources.

Linda Hausmanis is CEO of the IWFM