Analyst Reports
Boston – March 3, 2020 - Ferris State University, founded in 1884 and a leader in facilities management education, asked Planon, the global leader in Integrated Workplace Management Systems (IWMS) software, to partner on a facility management technology class within the Bachelor of Science in Facility Management program, to introduce students to the concept of an IWMS and how this platform can contribute to effective management of facilities.
“Planon is a powerful state-of-the-art IWMS platform. The consistent structure of the user interface of Planon modules and the shared information in the integrated platform makes it user-friendly as well as allows users to make better decisions.” said Dr. Tanzia Sharmin, Associate Professor in the Architecture and Facility Management Department at Ferris State University.
More than half of today’s facilities management practitioners are expected to retire in the next 5-15 years, opening up opportunities to introduce younger generations to the world of facilities management and making it a career of choice. Research in 2017 showed that more of RICS’ Facility Management professional members are over 70 than under 30, and less than 15% of them are under 40 years of age. IFMA faces a similar challenge; based on a 30% sample of its 24,000-plus members, the average IFMA member is 50.9 years old.
Christopher Ryans, an experienced consultant with Planon, was a guest lecturer on the topic of Integrated Workplace Management Systems and their benefits. Planon staff also contributed knowledge and content to support an additional three lectures on the topic of IWMS technology. The class learned over the series of lectures how to navigate and use core aspects of an IWMS.
“We are proud to be asked to collaborate with one of the leading facilities management university programs in North America by assisting in the education of future FM leaders about facility management technology,” said Fred Guelen, President of North American Operations at Planon.
Ferris State University students will go on to become leaders in facilities management. Learning about the technologies and tools available to the industry is a critical part of the learning experience.