1. Facility Management Internships Real World Practices, Challenges and Opportunities Presented by: Joseph Geierman, CFM, FMP Kathy Roper, CFM, MCR, LEED-AP, IFMA Fellow

2. Meet Our Presenters: Kathy Roper, CFM, MCR, LEED AP, IFMA Fellow Professor at Georgia Institute of Technology Joseph Geierman, CFM, FMP Senior Facilities Operations Manager at Troutman Sanders LLP

3. The Challenge Increased number of colleges and universities offering FM as a major. To compete, graduates still need real world experience Internship programs in FM departments have been few and far between Not usually a core (profit center) business function Facility Managers have not known how to start a program or how to find interns

4. Survey and Interviews 65 FMs responded to questions regarding their experience with and interest in internship programs Interviews with 3 FM students who’ve participated in internship programs In depth Interview with 1 FM who has worked with interns in her department Interview with administrator for a Facility Management program at a university

5. Interviewees Karen Cochran, LEED AP, CFM - Sustainability Lead at PG&E in San Francisco Brenda Morris – Recruitment Officer at Georgia Tech school of Building Construction Ryan Lee – GA Tech Student / Intern Elizabeth Wilson – GA Tech Student / Intern Sola Mosuro – GA Tech Student / Intern

7. Potential Benefits of Internship Programs 82% of respondents believed an internship enhances a candidate’s competitiveness in the job market A possible way to identify future employees Accomplish tasks that could not otherwise get done Department benefits from interns’ enthusiasm

8. Potential Benefits of Internship Programs Studies from related fields (tourism, hospitality, management) have found benefits for: Students – experiences, real world learning about work world Employers – preview of potential employees, and access to new views and staffing Industry – better qualified entry level and early career employees who understand more

9. How Interns Are Being Found Professional associations CoreNet Internship program (now discontinued) Referral from Colleges/Universities When approached directly by companies Georgia Tech’s Building Construction & Facility Management Master’s Program Applications from Organization website Government laboratory

10. DOL Criteria for Unpaid Interns Provides training similar to what would be given in an educational environment The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern; The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern

11. DOL Criteria for Unpaid Interns The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.

12. Features of Internship Programs

13. What’s Holding us Back? Cost Constraints No idea where to find candidates Uncertainty about intern tasks Time commitment from FM FM Not a Core business function “Interns should be hired by outsourcers” Lack of support from professional groups Not all colleges have efficient way of connecting employers to students

14. Cost Constraints Several survey respondents indicated they do not have a budget for internships Would need help understanding the costs and scope to include in budget There needs to be a clear pay-off to the organization “Funding is an issue; if any internships can be unpaid (or funded outside our company), that would help a lot.”

15. Finding Candidates Some survey respondents indicated they do not know where to find interns “We need a good pipeline of candidates” “We would need help with the recruiting process”

16. Assigning Work to Interns Several respondents did not know what to have interns do for them Requests for sample job descriptions Looking for examples of what other companies do “[I would need] a prototype job description and some sense of salary requirements.” “[I would need] a description of the duties interns perform at other companies, and what those programs look like.”

17. Assigning Work to Interns Time commitment Requires someone to come up with a work-plan Provide guidance/leadership/shadowing Fear intern may take FM away from core responsibilities “The only thing that holds people back from utilizing the resource is that it takes time to direct them and supervise them.”

18. Lack of Support from Professional Associations CoreNet had a program, but has discontinued it. No leadership from IFMA on this issue If we do not get these people when they are new to the industry, we risk them viewing our associations as irrelevant.

19. Inefficient Methods of Connecting Employers with Students Not all colleges have efficient way of connecting employers to students Georgia Tech approached by companies, but may not know which students are interested.

20. Marks of a Successful Internship Program The work being asked of the intern should be meaningful to the organization There should be a finite deliverable that can be accomplished within the timeframe they are working there. Choose the project, then choose interns based on the skills required for that project (number crunching, engineering, etc) Assign the intern a mentor (or mentors) they can shadow

21. Meaningful Work Work that no one has time to do PG&E had an intern pull together a report on the history of their HQ building Had been outstanding for years Others have suggested small projects that might otherwise go undone MacPherson Implementing Local Redevelopment Agency Former military base Student conducted detailed surveys of the buildings

22. Mentorship/Shadowing Provides opportunity for student to observe real world activities in the FM arena, and: A. Learn from them B. Determine whether this is the right career path “Not only have I learned a lot about building systems and processes, but I have learned great leadership and motivational skills from my mentor. I look forward to coming into work every day!” – Elizabeth Wilson

23. Quick Survey Would your internship experience become available or be enhanced by available guidelines and/or tools to link students & openings? Do you believe more internships will improve the FM industry? Is this worthwhile? Leave us your card if you want to participate or help develop the guides or receive them

24. Questions? Thanks for your attention and help