Exploratory study of facility management education opportunities at the University of Oklahoma

The Facility Management (FM) industry has traditionally attracted workers from the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. As the role and responsibilities for facility managers become more and more sophisticated, so will the need for advanced FM education. The FM industry is providing resources and support to many universities to increase FM education opportunities. Universities throughout the nation are developing successful programs to providing training in FM, from certifications to master degrees. The University of Oklahoma is located geographically within two hundred miles of three large metropolitan cities. Industry relations and support have been a large factor in the success of FM programs. The paper's objective is to perform an exploratory study of the FM educational opportunities at the University of Oklahoma. Using past research, a survey was created and circulated to local FM associations for data collection. The methodology presented provides direction for future regional studies related to the FM industry. Responses are used to identify area FM demographics, education requirements within FM, current and future talent needs, potential employment opportunities for students, and transparency with the local FM career path. The findings provide direction for the University of Oklahoma to address education opportunities valuable to the regional FM industry.