International. In its most recent newsletter CIFMERS highlights that the economic difficulties of the last decade have led many to wonder which professions will be most in demand in the future.
As expected, many try to direct their future towards the new cutting-edge work or the one that will offer them some security. But, the labor market changes at the speed of light and it is difficult to decipher the trends of the future. Professionals who until very recently we considered first level, as an architect or civil engineer, live in the midst of enormous uncertainty, with an eye on unemployment or abroad. According to different studies, some of the professions with the most demand will be those that do not yet exist, as shown by the macro-study of the British think tank Fast Future, which envisions 110 new professions in 2030.
But what about Facility Management? Can anyone say that there will be no buildings in the future?
Due to the current economic situation, companies and organizations are considering new business plans; your lines of business, your new investments, and even your goals and strategies, need to maximize your resources. Telecommuting, virtual offices, and the mobile technology you're probably using to read this article make it easy to work off-site. However, it is more difficult to imagine that organizations will not have headquarters, ships will not be used to manufacture their products, doctors will not treat patients in hospitals or universities will be empty.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the American Department of Employment, the sectors that will have the highest demand will be those with strong technological content and those linked to the 'green' economy. Interestingly, this is aligned with what is glimpsed within the field of Facility Management where according to the report "Future Outlook for Facility Management" published in 2011 by IFMA, which includes the vision of the discipline of the coming years, Sustainability is identified as the number 1 trend and in second position Technology.
Consequently, companies will demand specialized profiles to help them achieve their corporate sustainability objectives and their "triple bottom line", to create an environment that promotes productivity. Likewise, building systems are increasingly complex, the global computerization of systems and the continuous advancement in technology will demand specialized Facility Managers organizations.
The good news for the current FM and those looking for a career possibility in the discipline is that it is on the rise.
According to IFMA and its "Profiles 2011 Salary and Demographics Report", the average annual salary (base salary plus extraordinary pay) of a FM in the US was US$ 99,578, higher than the US$ 91,766 in 2007. Recent graduates entering the profession in internships or with few years of experience in Facility Management earn an average of $65,000 a year, up from $56,000 in 2004.
In Spain, little by little, companies begin to expand their General Services departments and include Facility Management areas. Currently many professionals with technical profiles, who have experience in real estate assets, wealth management, service management, building, facilities linked to construction, energy management of buildings, etc., see in the FM an opportunity.
On the other hand, "recruitment" companies publish more and more job offers with the phrase "company X, look for Facility Manager with English". The demand for FMs by companies derives from the need to improve the management of services and implement savings in processes to increase their competitiveness and their image for customers and obtain better positioning in the market.
For all this, we can say that Facility Management is a sector that offers great opportunities for professional development to all those who seek a change in their professional career or those who seek to channel their career after leaving university.
