U.S. Air Force Adds Certified Facility Manager Designation to Top-Tier Professional Credential Level

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The U.S. Air Force's Office of the Civil Engineer has issued a policy recognizing the value of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and its Certified Facility Manager® (CFM) credential, adding the designation to its Group A Professional Credential Level list.
 
The new Air Force guidelines, as outlined in the "Policy on Professional Registration and Certification for the Civil Engineer Career Field," are part of the Air Force's efforts to "develop and attract employees who possess proven abilities in their professions [and] … a high degree of technical competence as evidenced by professional registration or certification."
 
Membership in the Group A Professional Credential Level means that the selection of a CFM to fill key senior civil engineer positions at Air Force installations is "highly encouraged and/or required," according to Air Force guidelines. Additionally, civilian employees may request 100 percent reimbursement for expenses required to maintain the CFM designation, a benefit previously afforded to professional engineers and registered architects.
 
"Recognition of the CFM for the civilian civil engineer career field as a matter of policy clearly indicates the importance this credential has when it comes to possessing the skill set and level of proven ability needed to meet current and future built environmental requirements," said Air Force Lt. Col. Thomas Mitchell Jr., CFM, CFMJ and second vice chair of IFMA. "The CFM is the wave of the future. It increases the value of civilian facility professionals who will play a significant role in executing and sustaining the civil engineer business practices necessary to meet the challenges of the future."
 
The most respected, globally-recognized certification in facility management, the CFM credential sets the industry standard for ensuring the knowledge and abilities of practicing facility managers. Offered exclusively by IFMA, the certification process is designed to assess competency in the field through work experience, education and the ability to pass a comprehensive exam. Since the program's inception in 1992, more than 3,100 facility managers from 32 countries have received the designation.
 
To learn more about IFMA's CFM credential, visit www.ifma.org/learning/fm_credentials/cfm_index.cfm or e-mail certification@ifma.org.   
 
IFMA is the world's largest and most widely recognized international association for professional facility managers, supporting more than 19,000 members in 60 countries. The association's members, represented in 125 chapters and 15 councils worldwide, manage more than 37 billion square feet of property and annually purchase more than $100 billion in products and services. Formed in 1980, IFMA certifies facility managers, conducts research, provides educational programs, recognizes facility management certificate programs and produces World Workplace, the world's largest facility management conference and exposition. For more information, visit www.ifma.org.