FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
THE COMPLIANCE EXPERT’S VIEW
JAMES BRADLEY,
DIRECTOR OF COMPLETE COMPLIANCE AT CHURCHILL CONTRACT SERVICES
The fact that FM is unlikely to feature at the top of any school leaver’s dream career list is the root of the recruitment crisis we’re experiencing at the moment. Despite the sector accounting for a staggering eight per cent of the UK’s GDP and a market worth around £1.1 trillion globally, FM is still not on the younger generation’s radar.
Therefore, I’m not surprised that BDO’s research revealed that M&E and compliance were accountable for almost 40 per cent of acquisitions made in the industry last year. The question we need to ask ourselves, is why is that the case?
If we consider what the majority of young and talented individuals “want and know” about employment leaving school or university today, I am sure we could all list many factors – an exciting and dynamic career, with a good boss, personal development programmes, employee benefits and the sense of making a positive difference. In fact, according to the book ‘Gen Z @ Work’, 92.6 per cent of respondents said that a company’s impact on society affects their decision to work there. What careers do they know about? Of course, the big players of accountancy, construction, finance or retail. But how many 16-21 year olds – dubbed Generation ‘Z’ – have heard of FM? Do they know the value it brings to society? And do they want to embark upon a 40+ year career in something they cannot relate to?
If we consider M&E as the avenue by which to attract the talent pool into FM, I believe our efforts must focus on the ‘know’ and the ‘want’.
For the ‘know’ we must consider how the built environment as we know it is on the precipice of incredibly exciting and revolutionary change, and the cityscapes we see in sci-fi cinema are not as far away as many think. The potential of IoT and smart buildings is only just being tapped into, and in future, technology will transform every facet of buildings as we know them – how we live in them, manage them, even down to the bricks and mortar of building them. As such, technology and the data that comes with it will be an intrinsic facet of FM. All these changes promise a truly dynamic career path, which we need to share with those entering employment.
As for the ‘wants’ of Generation ‘Z’, these changes in technology will perhaps feel like a more natural progression than for those of us already in the industry. After all, they’ve had access to the internet since they could read, and handheld mobile devices since they could talk. Technology is the phenomenon that defines their generation. And with technology becoming increasingly important in FM, areas such as M&E in particular will encroach into the dynamic tech sector. Is this something that could satisfy their ‘wants’? No longer simply being a black and white vocational career path – engineers will have cutting-edge tech at their fingertips. As such, I expect this will attract those that perhaps would not have considered a career in FM to reconsider.
In addition, the limitless potential of technology naturally lends itself to start-ups and entrepreneurialism. With the importance of FM on the global stage increasing year-on-year, a graduate with a degree in M&E that aspires to set up a business will find FM a great space in which to do so. Again, we need to cultivate and share the opportunities for growth in the sector, and big players can play a part in supporting SMEs.
All in all, FM needs to embrace new technology, keep recruiting new talent high on the agenda and continue to prove FMs worth as a strategic and business critical aspect of the corporate ecosystem. To then reflect on the M&A landscape – surely cracking this nut will increase the value of any business.
THE MD’S VIEW
SHAUN SIMMONS,
MANAGING DIRECTOR, CORDANT ENGINEERING
Over recent years there has been a dramatic increase in technology across the engineering sector. Whilst this has resulted in improvements in efficiencies, and advanced what we can do, it has consequently affected the number of experienced engineers within the industry. In fact, a study by the Royal Academy of Engineering estimates that there will be a need for 800,000 new STEM professionals by 2020. This, along with other contributing factors such as Brexit, has led to a skills shortage across the industry.
I have worked in the engineering sector for nearly 20 years, and I believe there is still a lot of misinformation out there about what a job as an engineer actually entails – especially amongst young people. We need to show children and young adults that modern engineering roles offer them the chance to be creative and inventive and play a part in shaping some of the most exciting technological advances. The latest smartphones, digital assistants and electric cars have all been designed by engineers – who wouldn’t want to be involved in that!
Some companies are introducing schemes that focus on engaging young girls with STEM subjects. For example, National Rail has recently set itself a target to increase the male to female ratio of its workforce to 80/20 by 2020. As part of this it has launched an engagement programme that works directly with schools to encourage more young people to consider STEM subjects and a career in engineering. Whilst this is a good start, it needs to be embraced by more companies throughout the industry.
The other long-term solution is to further engage young people by providing access to apprenticeships. These have grown in popularity in recent years. In fact, between 2015 and 2016 there was a year-on-year increase of 7.4 per cent. However, data for 2017 suggests that the numbers are starting to decline once again. One of the most likely reasons for this is the lack of understanding about what an apprenticeship could actually offer. In a survey by Engineering UK’s 2017 Brand Monitor, 58 per cent of 11-14 year olds, and 46 per cent of parents, stated they knew very little about apprenticeships. Therefore, as a sector, we have a responsibility to get out there and showcase the multiple benefits that apprenticeship schemes offer to drive the numbers up.
Whilst there has been a concerning decrease in the number of engineers, the good news is that it can be easily rectified. There has been a concerted effort from the sector on how to attract and retain employees in light of Brexit, however, in doing so, the industry has shifted its focus from engaging young people and encouraging them to join the industry. In my opinion, if we direct our attention to schools and highlight the brilliant opportunities from working in engineering, we will have a talented, skilled and secure workforce in the long term.
