The ongoing labor shortage is a well-known struggle within trade industries, and the facilities management industry is not excluded from this. By 2030, all Baby Boomers will have reached retirement age, potentially prompting a mass exodus of skill-trade industry knowledge. In just 2020 alone, nearly 31 million trade workers retired and six years later many of those positions remain unfilled, Glens Falls Business Journal reports.
In succession planning, many managers have started to brainstorm ways to encourage younger generations to join the trades. Fortunately, Gen Z has taken a key interest in blue-collar work. As FacilitiesNet previously reported, 6 in 10 Gen Zers plan on entering the trades in 2026. Gen Z has said that passion for the skills is largely what is driving them to enter the industries. The top trades the youngest group of employees plan to pursue include construction, electrical work and plumbing.
To be a facility manager, though, you need to be a jack of all trades. FacilitiesNet recently asked readers what is something that new employees must know when they first enter the industry. Here is what they said:
“It's not what you expect, it's what you inspect. Create a healthy balance between hands-on knowledge and administrative knowledge. Become your CFO's best friend, meaning understanding where he's coming from while making him understand what building maintenance needs & expenditures need to be.”
“If you chosen Facility Maintenance as a career, then you are going to have to KNOW EVERYTHING. You might as well get started and learn it! You are going to find that even the simplest jobs will turn into something major and complex 90 percent of the time! As a worker, you did things that gave you a sense of accomplishment. As a manager, you will find the workload almost unbearable. It's a ton of responsibility!”
“There is no dumb question. If you don't know, always ask. No job is more important than your family.”
“Soft skills and people skills are one of the most important parts of the role.”
“Vendor relationships are very important to develop and work both ways.”
“Know what metrics are used to determine department budgets and how those are calculated into your labor and spending budget. Know which systems well established maintenance departments use to guide and track their work. Know how to connect and collaborate with other people and departments. Your work relies on a lot of other people, so maintain those relationships!”
“No matter how much you get repaired or how far you think you are ahead, there's always another complaint right around the corner. Take your victories as you get them, and go on down the road to the next problem.”
“That every day is going to present its own challenges/hurdles, and how you look at those will determine whether you love the job or hate it. If you look at problems/issues as opportunities, and use the challenges to grow your skills, then this will be a flourishing career opportunity for you.”
Mackenna Moralez is the managing editor of the facilities market and the host of the Facilities in Focus podcast.
