First FM Degree Apprenticeship at Bolton University

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18 June 2021

Bolton University will deliver the first dedicated degree apprenticeship in facilities management having won approval as an IWFM Recognised Centre to deliver the IWFM Level 6 Extended Diploma as a dual award with its BSc (Hons) in Facilities and Built Asset Management programme.

The two qualifications are requirements of the Senior/Head of Facilities Management Degree Apprenticeship standard. Bolton’s course, starting this autumn, is the first of its kind since the Level Six Standard was introduced and it represents an important option to those who want to study FM at this level as part of an apprenticeship.

"With a focus on helping apprentices develop the behaviours required for occupational success, such as collaboration and influencing skills, leadership and a systematic approach, you can be assured that we’ll work hard to support them as they develop into senior facilities management professionals."

 

– Dr Peter Farrell
Programme Lead, University of Bolton’s School of Engineering

The Benefit of Apprenticeships

IWFM has long advocated the opportunities apprenticeships can offer, especially in a sector as diverse as workplace and facilities management; and the Institute has been greatly encouraged by the introduction in recent years of Levels 2, 4, and 6 to accompany the Level 3 standard.

The importance of apprenticeships is recognised by an awareness week every year, showing the impact Apprenticeships can have on communities, and regional economies. they present a unique opportunity for both a student and employer.

The UK economy is suffering a serious skills shortage and so is our sector at a time when our profession’s skills have rarely been in greater demand as the nation seeks to build back better after the pandemic. In recently published IWFM research, over a third of respondents said that a lack of the right skills had a negative impact on their organisation in the previous year and expected that to continue.

The British Cleaning Council very recently campaigned for industry support to encourage an accredited training provision for the cleaning and hygiene sector. The group contacted The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) to seek approval to develop a proposal for the industrywide Professional Cleaning and Hygiene Operative apprenticeship. 

Investing in Your Workforce

"We want to see a greater uptake of apprenticeships across the board and Bolton’s course is an important and very welcome step in the right direction," said IWFM Chief Executive Linda Hausmanis. Degree apprenticeships allow employers to invest in their workforce by effectively combining university education, work-based learning and ongoing professional development.

"This Levy-funded apprenticeship opens up another excellent avenue into senior workplace and facilities management at a pivotal moment for our profession. Employers have been incentivised to take on apprentices with additional Government funding so I hope we will see more and better apprenticeship provision going forward.

"Furthermore, successful completion of this apprenticeship meets the requirements for IWFM’s Certified grade (CIWFM); and as we have set our sights on becoming a chartered profession, the more options that exist for FMs to reach the Level 6 standard the better for them and for our profession as a whole."

Dr Peter Farrell, Programme Lead at University of Bolton’s School of Engineering also commented on the success. He said "[their] expert team will support apprentices as they undertake structured training in a number of essential areas."

"We’ll guide them as they gain key skills in developing and managing strategy and policy, change and programme management, and operational and technical leadership."

"With a focus on helping apprentices develop the behaviours required for occupational success, such as collaboration and influencing skills, leadership and a systematic approach, you can be assured that we’ll work hard to support them as they develop into senior facilities management professionals."

Picture: someone studying an educational video on a laptop.

Article written by Bailey Sparkes | Published 18 June 2021

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