Facility Management

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Welcome to the College of DuPage Facility Management program site.
College of DuPage offers an Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in Facility Management. Many businesses now seek individuals with an associate's or bachelor's degree to manage their facilities. An associate's degree prepares a person for either an entry-level position or enhances a person's career options if already employed in some type of facility management-related position.

A good understanding of facility management is also useful for individuals working as administrative assistants, architects, HVAC specialists, building and grounds personnel, managers/supervisors, interior designers, real estate property managers, or human resource personnel.

Responsibilities

Facility managers are responsible for coordinating the physical workplace with the needs of both workers and the organization itself. They manage millions of dollars in corporate assets, such as buildings, equipment, furniture, artwork, telephone systems and computer networks. Depending on the company, a facility manager may have the title of building manager/supervisor, property manager or chief engineer.

Facility managers must possess good listening, writing and oral communication skills. In addition, they must interact well with employees; possess technical skills related to facility planning, design, operations and maintenance; and have the ability to make logical decisions while under pressure. The facility manager typically is a generalist who supervises or hires the specialist.

Careers

The greatet number of opportunities in this type of career is with service sector employers, manufacturing and production businesses, and in government and education settings. Nearly 60,000 professional facility managers are employed in the United States. A large percentage of these positions are in metropolitan areas.

Since facility managers are responsible for meeting government mandates (Americans With Disabilities Act) and worker needs (indoor air quality, ergonomics), the demand for qualified persons should continue to grow.