International. The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) announced that those who officially earned* the IFMA Facility Management Professional™ (FMP®) credential surpassed 20,000 worldwide. This marks a significant milestone in the association's mission to advance the FM industry and empower facilities professionals to perform at the highest level.
IFMA introduced the FMP credential program in 2004 as a means for FM professionals with less than five years of experience to develop the skills, confidence, and credibility essential for career advancement. Over the past two decades, the FMP has become the industry standard for emerging facility professionals. It is a qualification desired by employers looking for FMs with advanced and in-demand skills; and many major companies have provided in-house FMP training to thousands of their employees.
"For 45 years, IFMA has been a vital source of professional development and advancement for FM globally. This milestone not only demonstrates the quality and value of our FMP credential, but is also a testament to the dedication of FM professionals to improving performance, productivity, and readiness at their facilities. Each FMP strengthens and elevates our industry by bringing a higher level of skills, competence and commitment to their work," said Lynn Baez, FMP, SFP, IFMA Member, Chair of the IFMA Global Board of Directors.
IFMA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to ANSI/ASTM E2659-18, a globally recognized mark of quality that ensures IFMA's Facility Management Professional™ (FMP®), Certified Facility Manager® (CFM®), and Sustainability Facility Professional® (SFP®) are governed by the highest internationally accepted criteria.
"We are very proud of how far the FMP program has come, sought after by both FMs and employers. Statistically, organizations see a higher level of performance in accredited FMs; "But our greatest measure of success comes from FMPs themselves, who share that they have found more doors open to them, taking on more responsibilities, taking on leadership roles, and driving beneficial changes for their organizations," said Certification Commission Chair Paul Ratkovic, CFM, FMP, IFMA Fellow, who was the first person to earn the FMP when it was introduced 20 years ago.
The IFMA FMP is carried out in 121 countries. The program is available in English, Simplified Chinese, and Latin American Spanish. Since 2017, IFMA has seen a 146 percent increase in companies requiring IFMA credentials in their FM job advertisements, with 54 percent of companies listing the FMP as a required or desired qualification. For more information, visit ifma.org/credentials/facility-management-professional-fmp/.
