Steven Ee’s Blog for FM Practitioners

The IFMA-Singapore Chapter’s Annual General Meeting was held last Friday, 9th July at the NUSS @ Suntec City.

As the Professional Development Chair, on of the report that I presented was on the IFMA credentials awarded in Singapore. To date, there are approx. 51 FMPs and 11 CFMs in Singapore.

One of the significant breakthrough was the jointly organised BCAA-IFMA Regional Conference whereby one of the highlight was the signing of MOU between the Building & Construction Authority’s CEO and IFMA’s CEO. That marks a recognition and awareness with the local government authority.

For term 2010/11, I have been voted as IFMA-Singapore Chapter’s Vice-President. It’s been my privilege to be able to serve in the committee. In this new role, I will press on to continue to raise the profession of FM to be recognised as value-add and business advantage to organisation.

Together, let’s make a difference in FM!

Steven Ee

THANK YOU so much for those who expressed concern about my blog. Yes, it’s been a long silence……Some of you may know that I have been spending much time in promoting Facility Management profession and its practices and in creating awareness to raise the recognition for FM.

I like to update about the awareness of Facility Management and its awareness in Singapore, and probably South-East Asia.

22^nd & 23rd April, 2010, marked a breakthrough for the Facility Management Profession through the organised BCAA-IFMA Regional Conference 2010, entitled “Sustainable Facility Management – A Business Advantage to Organisations” held at Grand Hyatt, Singapore. The events include, on Day One, one full day Seminar and evening Networking Dinner and Day Two, a half-day Workshop and a half-day Site Visits.

The most significant event was the signing of Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, between Building Construction Authority, BCA, and the International Facility Management Association, IFMA. The MOU was signed by Dr John Keung, CEO, BCA and Mr Tony Keane, CEO and President, IFMA. The event was published in The Straits Times, dated 23rd April, 2010.

At the evening Networking Dinner, presentation of certifications for the Facility Management Professional, FMP,and the Certified Facility Manager, CFM, has demonstrated the existence of Facility Management knowledge and competencies that are recognised globally and adopted by associations such as the Facility Management Australia ( FMA), British Institute of Facilities Management ( BIFM), Facility Management Japan ( FMJ) and etc. The credentials marked the proficiencies and competencies of Facility Management practitioners, having achieved the awards. The FMPs and CFMs are well seek after by Multi-National Companies, especially the Americans, British, Europeans, Japanese, etc, that recognised the values that these Facility Management professionals will bring to their organisations.

Ultimately, the events were organised to create the value of Facility Management, as the Conference put it, as a business advantage to organisations. How well will the profession and its practitioners will be recognised and raised to a higher level lies on each and every facility management practitioners. Together, let us take pride and continually contribute to raise the recognition of our profession.

To Your FM Success!

Steven Ee

…making a difference in facility management!

Hello, I know it’s been a long silence…..one reason is because I was involved in the FM2009 Conference jointly organised by Ahrals & IFMA-Singapore Chapter. Thanks for your concerns.  I will catch up with the questions posted to me.

As a Speaker   

As a Moderator for Panel Discussion

It was a good learning experience from the FM experts which include representatives from the BCA, NUS, SIArch, Premas, CPG, Temasek, and well known private organisations. The theme was “Managing Through the Economic Crisis” , which I thought is timely and appropriate for FM professionals to get together to learn and share.

Topics delivered include:

- Overcoming financial challenges in managing facilities efficiently

- Looking into the benfits of otsourcing facilities

- Sustainable facility management for improved profit and improved CSR

- Facilities Management of PPP Projects

- Global solutions for strategic property and facilities management

- Understanding the responsbilities of facilities managers under the Worksplace Safety & Health Act

- Holistic approach in designing of physical protectio system

- Security solutions that enhance FM

- BCA Green Mark guidelines for existing buildings

- Performance benchmarking and best practices for facility construction projects

- Paving the way forward for intelligent facilities

- Green solutions for a “Sustainable Tomorrow” faciities

From the topic current topics of interest also indicates the trend of FM as we are experiencing the financial crisis.

Catch up soon.

To Your FM Success!

steven@stevenee.com

“making a difference in facility management….”

I have attached a presentation on the recent IFMA - Leadership and Management Course conducted in Singapore.

Dr Gan C E was the Course Instructor, together with fellow Facility Management practitioners. I was there as the Course Facilitator. What I enjoyed most were the class discussions where the Instructor share his knowledge and sharing of valuable experiences among participants.

Enjoy!

It is FMS Vision to elevate the profession of Facility Management, in Singapore, to be a value-added function and business advantage to organisation.

We hope you will support and join us in the journey…..

To  Your FM Success!

steven@stevenee.com

Making a Difference in Facility Management…….

For information.

As you read, you may want to relate to Singapore and South-East Asia regions on how relevant facility management is to these regions….

Press Releases

For Immediate Release
Andrea Sanchez
IFMA
1-713-623-4362

Date Posted: April 17, 2007

CHINESE GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZES IFMA AND FACILITY MANAGEMENT

IFMA Partners with Yingbiao Human Resources Development to Deliver Education

The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) today announced formal recognition from the Occupational Skills Testing Authority (OSTA) of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, People’s Republic of China (PRC), to provide facility management education in China. OSTA awarded IFMA the certifying document bearing the PRC’s official seal, a prerequisite for providing certifiable education. The OSTA document also signifies that the Chinese government recognizes facility management as a distinct discipline and career pursuit.

Yingbiao Human Resources Ltd., a company recognized by OSTA, will be IFMA’s contract bureau and education partner in the PRC. IFMA and Yingbiao signed a partnering agreement in Beijing in July 2006.

Preparing to enter the Chinese market was a four-year process, including several visits between North American and Chinese delegations, educators and subject-matter experts.

Initially IFMA and Yingbiao will provide a series of courses in China based on the nine core facility management competencies IFMA has identified and developed since introducing the competency-based Certified Facility Manager credential in 1993. All facility management competency courses and supporting materials have been translated from English into Chinese and adapted and customized to fit Chinese culture and business practices. Those successfully completing a course will receive a special certificate for that competency. Certificates will be written in both English and Chinese. The nine facility management competencies are: planning and project management; real estate; leadership and management; finance; operations and maintenance; quality assessment and innovation; human and environmental factors; communication; and technology.

Yingbiao also will present IFMA’s comprehensive Business of FM course at selected times and locations throughout China. The course covers all aspects of facility management and demonstrates how good facility management practices enhance the value of the organization’s physical, human and intellectual assets. It also covers how the facility function can become more visible and achieve greater recognition by all stakeholders in the enterprise—from owners, to co-workers, to customers. The Business of FM course has been tremendously successful in North America, Europe and in other parts of Asia.

“Recognition from the PRC government in Beijing is a significant milestone for IFMA and the facility management profession,” said David J. Brady, IFMA’s president and chief executive officer. “China has the world’s largest population and a robust expanding economy. There is new construction everywhere—factories, office buildings, airports, hospitals, schools and other facilities are coming online in staggering numbers. The need for facility management knowledge, training and benchmarking is commensurate with this rapid expansion. IFMA’s partnership with Yingbiao is an effective way to provide educational content and to connect facility management professionals in China with their counterparts around the world. Certified courses addressing specific needs are the best way to begin and build the relationship.”

Additionally, among other China-related responsibilities outlined in the IFMA – Yingbiao agreement, Yingbiao will administer IFMA’s Certified Facility Manager and Facility Management Professional credentials; recruit individual and corporate members for IFMA; promote the importance of facility management education and its contributions to performance; and help safeguard IFMA’s intellectual property. IFMA is the largest and most widely recognized professional association for facility management, supporting more than 18,500 members. The Association’s members are represented in 125 chapters and 15 councils in 65 countries worldwide. Globally, IFMA certifies facility managers, conducts research, provides educational programs, recognizes facility management degree and certificate programs, and produces World Workplace, the largest facility management-related conference and exposition. For more information, visit www.ifma.org.

Yingbiao, an independent legal entity in the field of education and training, is committed to the introduction and promotion of various international professional qualifications and is entrusted by the Occupational Skill Testing Authority of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, People’s Republic of China. Yingbiao is the official examination office for Sino-British vocational qualifications and has experience with other international vocational certificates in China.

Isn’t it time that Singapore and South-East Asia region also recognise facility management?

To Your FM Success!

steven@stevenee.com

Making a Difference in Facility Management….

IFMA-Singapore Chapter was invited by Ngee Ann Polytechnic on 20th November, 2009, to present “Career Talk” for the final year “FM” students. Myself, the Professional Development Chair, and a Past President of IFMA-Singapore Chapter presented on: Background of IFMA, FM Credential Programs, FM Career Trend & Oppotunities.

That was a mission to create awareness and promote the profession of FM that aim to provide FM graduates to be, motivation and inspiration, towards being a FM practitioner.

Should any organisations or institutions be interested to find out more about IFMA-Singapore chapter, do log on to www.ifmasingapore.org.sg

To Your FM Success!

steven@stevenee.com

Making a Difference in Facility Management……..

Comments from Mr C S Tan:

I’ve worked in the FM line for 26 years.

Right now many skilled FM graduates are not easily available. They are either skilled FM diploma holders now working overseas or engaged in other more lucrative jobs compared to the “Thankless” FM job. Our local state universities do not offer “FM degree” leading to difficulties in recruiting “locally qualified/recognised & respected” FM personnel. Most of them are either Real Estates/Building Science graduates.

For a start, it would be good to have someone to spearhead and to bring all the FM people together through member ship, have it accredited and recognised by the local government agencies and start offering recognised FM degrees. hopefully it will raise the status of FM jobs.

Hi Mr C S Tan, thanks for your very practical comments. I agree with you on the challenges in recruiting good FM personnel. Through my observations, FM professionals who do not have degrees can still be very successful. Some of them whom I know personally, they all possess common traits: Excellent Attitude, Flexible and Adaptable. 

In the past, in recruiting staff, it is common that most organisations would size up the applicants, first, based on their academic qualifications as consideration criteria. I am glad to know that, today, most MNCs are beginning to hire based on the professional credentials, that the applicants possessed, as a mark of the competencies that the professionals have achieved.

In elevating the profession of FM, it’s depends on each and every individual fellow FM practitioners to contribute, first, to his or her own organisation that FM can be a value added function and be a business advantage to the organisation.

The FM profession is relatively new, as compared to other professions such as architecture, project management, engineering, etc. I am glad that FMS Associates Asia Pte Ltd, in Singapore, has been appointed as the IFMA Approved Provider, in Asia, for it’s globally recognised FM credentials - FMP & CFM. FMS has started the programmes in July, 2009, and is running it’s 2nd batch of FMP (Facility Management Professional).

Sincerely, I really do look forward that the local fellow FM practitioners will come together, as a FM body, to have the profession of Facility Management recognised & accredited (in Singapore) by local government agencies and organisations.

FELLOW FM PRACTITIONERS, IF YOU ARE READING THIS, YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS & SUGGESTIONS IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

To FM Success!

steven@stevenee.com

Making a Difference in Facility Management….