Tricks Of The Trade: Engineering Certifications

By James C. Elledge, IFMA Fellow, CFM, FMA, RPA, RIAQM
Published in the June 2006 issue of Today’s Facility Manager

Q Are you aware of any HVAC or electrical certifications that confirm the knowledge and understanding of these systems without receiving a degree?

Patrick Lealos
Grand Forks, ND

A As a facility manager, it does help to be familiar with these areas of responsibility. However, unless you are looking for a position as the building chief engineer, you should not have to worry about obtaining degrees in HVAC or electrical/plumbing.

On the other hand, if you’d like to get formal confirmation regarding your expertise in these highly relevant subjects, you could look at certification courses offered by your community college. While not degree programs, they do provide courses and certificates on specific areas.

Elledge,facility/office services manager for Dallas, TX-based Summit AllianceCompanies, is the recipient of the Distinguished Author Award from theInternational Facility Management Association (IFMA), is an IFMA Fellow, and isa member of TFM’sEditorial Advisory Board. All questions have been submitted via the “Ask TheExpert” portion of the magazine’s Web site. To pose a question, visit this link.