An overview of the BIFM Level 3 Qualification as offered by the Xenon Group. Includes a breakdown of modules, reasons to study for a qualification and an explanation of how the qualification is structured.
2. Welcome to the first day...
...of the rest of your career
If you’re reading this, it means There are a multitude of ways to At the Xenon Group, we’ve been
you’re already considering the try and raise the profile of turning good Facilities Managers
possibility of studying for a BIFM Facilities Management within your into great ones for over 10 years.
accredited Facilities Management organisation, many of which we
Qualification. cover as part of the qualifications, We hope you’ll be the next to join
but ultimately raising your profile us in our mission to make a more
Before I go any further, I’d like to is only worthwhile if the service productive, more efficient, more
congratulate you for having the you are delivering is second-to- recognised and above all more
motivation to take your career into none. valued Facilities Management
your own hands and to learn how to industry.
be the best Facilities Manager that That is where the beauty of a BIFM
you possibly can. Qualification lies. Whether you I look forward to welcoming you
study for an Award, Certificate or onto a course in the near future.
It is a well known but accurate the full Diploma, you will learn new
cliché in FM circles that the role of ways to improve your service,
the Facilities Manager is often manage your budget and ensure
David Morris
David Morris FBIFM undervalued or overlooked by the that the work you are doing is in FBIFM FFA FinstLM MinstD MIMgt
Xenon Group Managing Director mainstream business world. sync with the overall business plan Managing Director
of your employer.
Organisations such as the BIFM are
I can't put a value on the constantly striving to improve this You will meet other like-minded
perception, but the first steps must FMs, both online and in person,
knowledge I've gained while be taken by people like you; from a range of different
facilities Managers working at the backgrounds and sectors, and learn
studying with The Xenon sharp end of FM service delivery. from them as well as from our
tutors. You’ll then consolidate
Group but I know it has helped everything you have learned in your
You are probably dealing with
me turn a job into a career. customers and clients on a daily assignments and ultimately achieve
basis — taking the rap when things the qualification as proof that you
go wrong whilst barely being are on the road to becoming not
Naomi Crossan just a good Facilities Manager, but
noticed when it’s all going to plan.
Ernst & Young a great one!
3. Why study for a qualification?
Isn’t experience enough?
The experience vs qualifications debate in Facilities Management has been a hot topic for some time.
Of course, there is no substitute for experience, but in our opinion there is no substitute for a qualification either.
Rather than wonder which of the two is better, we have always been of the opinion that both are key for a Facilities
Manager to be able to do their job to the best of their ability.
We’re not alone in this mind-set, which is why when BIFM developed these qualifications in 2009, they structured them
in a way which allows you to draw on your own experience in order to complete the assessments, thereby helping you
apply all that you have learned into your own working practices.
Of course, there are many training options available and you may feel that simply attending master-class workshops is
enough.
Many of these ‘attend only’ courses are very good - some are exceptional - but here’s 4 reasons why we feel you’ll get
BIFM CEO Gareth Tancred presents Darren
more out of studying for a qualification.
Shiels with his hard-earned Diploma
You’ll consolidate your The assessments will You’ll receive proof of Qualifications are
knowledge by completing encourage you to apply your understanding when completely accountable
assessments. your knowledge to your you complete the course.
own role. One of the most pound for
At an ‘attend only’ By asking you to draw on The certificate that you’ll As a BIFM recognised pound, best value
master-class, there is no your own experience in gain on successful centre, we’re monitored
way of checking that you order to answer the completion acts as proof and audited by BIFM to qualifications I’ve attained
have understood questions, the assessments that you haven’t just slept make sure we’re doing our
everything that you have will help you use the your way through your job well. BIFM is, in turn,
been taught. With a knowledge gained from course! It can also inspire monitored by OfQual, so if Rob Ratcliffe
‘qualification’, you’ll be your course to improve confidence in employers you’re not happy with the
required to complete the way you go about your and clients by showing service you receive, you Aberystwyth University
detailed assessments work. that you have the have plenty of options to
which will consolidate underpinning knowledge get something done about
your knowledge and check required to do the job. it.
your understanding.
4. A range of qualifications...
...and a range of different options
So now you know why gaining a Facilities Management Qualification is worthwhile, the next stage is
to choose which level and which size of qualification you’d like to study.
The Level
The first step is to choose which level of qualification you wish to study for. At the Xenon Group, you can study for
BIFM qualifications at levels 3, 4, 5 and 6.
It’s important to choose the correct level as the content of the course will correspond to your own job. Too high a
level and you will not have the experience required to complete the assessments, too low and you will find the
course easy and less worthwhile.
If you’re reading this brochure, you’ve probably identified the BIFM Level 3 as an appropriate option, however if
you’re unsure, a good first step is to try our ‘One Minute Leveller’ an online tool that will ask you a series of
multiple-choice questions and recommend a level based on your answers.
The Size I know I could not have
achieved what I have
After choosing your level, you need to decide on the scale of your course. BIFM Qualifications can be studied as
an Award, Certificate or Diploma. The only difference between them is the number of modules. within my role at work if
The Diploma includes 10 units, covering a range of topics giving you a wide breadth of knowledge. it were not for the
knowledge I have gained
The Certificate includes 5 units. This is appropriate for those with less time or perhaps constrained by budgets.
whilst on the course.
The Award is a basic introduction to FM and consists of 2 units. The Award is appropriate for those with tight
time or budget constraints or who do not work directly in an FM role but require an understanding of the Dawn Marshall
industry.
Sodexo
5. Training for FM professionals…
Delivered by FM professionals
Once you’ve decided on a Level and Scale, all that is left to decide is how you’d like to study. At the Xenon Group, we offer three options -
Workshops, Distance Learning and Blended Learning
Workshops
Our workshop courses offer the most comprehensive learning experience available. You will participate in tutor-led sessions
offering plenty of opportunities to learn from our tutors, who are all experienced Facilities Managers who have been there
and seen it all, as well as from other students who come from diverse FM backgrounds across a range of sectors.
As a workshop student you will also have full access to our Distance Learning material, so you don’t need to worry if you get
home and realise you can’t read your own notes!
Workshops are run as monthly, two-day sessions in our Leeds office or as weekly evening classes in London.
Distance Learning
Although our workshop sessions offer the most complete learning package, we realise that not everyone is able to commit to regularly attending workshops in Leeds or
London. That’s why we’ve developed our Distance Learning option.
As a Distance Learner, you’ll be given access to workbooks for all of the individual units in your course. These workbooks contain all of the information you will need,
as well as activities and exercises to test your understanding.
You’ll also have access to online learning resources, including articles of interest and discussion forums which allow you to ask questions of your fellow students.
Although you won’t get the same level of face-to-face contact with our tutors, help is never far away. You can contact us at any time to ask questions by e-mail, phone
or Skype. You’ll receive detailed guidance notes for your assessments and constructive feedback before final submission.
Even though I was studying on Blended Learning
my own, I never felt alone. Help Introduced in 2012, Blended Learning gives you the best of both worlds. If you opt for the Blended Learning option,
you will be able to attend workshops for up to half of the units for your course, with the remainder being studied by
was only a phone call away. Distance Learning.
This combination of Workshops and Distance Learning allows you to focus in on your strengths and weaknesses, and
Kevin Brady then make use of the face-to-face sessions for subjects you are less confident in.
University of Sussex NB: Blended Learning not available for the Level 3 Award
6. So what will I actually learn?
By now you’re probably raring to go out and achieve a qualification, so to whet your appetite even further, here’s a breakdown of the
different units that comprise the BIFM Level 3 Award, Certificate and Diploma. The Level 3 qualification is aimed at those new to facil-
ities management or who may be working as a co-ordinator or supervisor and looking to progress within the profession.
BIFM Level 3 Award BIFM Level 3 Certificate BIFM Level 3 Diploma Building Maintenance in FM
Award units plus: Award & Certificate Units plus: This unit covers the factors that
determine the maintenance
Introduction to Facilities CSR & Sustainability in FM Contribute to disaster recovery requirements of buildings and
Management This unit considers the im- & contingency planning how maintenance strategies are
This module will consider the portance of CSR and You will consider principles and developed. You will also consider
nature of FM and the roles and sustainability and the role of processes associated with the different types of
responsibilities that an FM may the FM in ensuring that services disaster recovery and maintenance schedule
take on. It covers the different provided take account of them. contingency planning including (Preventative, Condition-Based
services that may be offered by the processes for identifying and Reactive) as well as who is
the FM Department and the hazards and assessing risk in responsible for maintaining and
Specification & Procurement of
different FM delivery models relation to disaster planning. managing property and assets.
FM Supplies and Services
that can be implemented. This module covers the use of
Finally, it considers the specifications and how to write Understanding FM within the Project Management within FM
importance of communication them, as well as methods of context of an organisation Operations
within the industry. procurement and contract In this unit you will learn about In this unit you will learn how to
management. current trends in the industry scope a small scale project from
Customer & Stakeholder and how to use them to improve an initial brief and prepare a
Relations in FM service. You will consider why FM project plan including specifying
Health & Safety Responsibilities
This unit looks at the needs of is important to your organisation relevant tasks, identifying
This unit covers the FM’s
customers and other and the consequences of poor resources, scheduling, assessing
responsibilities under H&S
stakeholders of the FM and ineffective service delivery. risks, clarifying the needs of
legislation and how to maintain
department and how the FM can You will learn about the FM team stakeholders and producing the
safe and healthy working
determine what those needs as a whole and how to set plan itself. You will learn how to
environments. manage the project from start to
are. The unit also addresses relevant team and individual
how customer satisfaction can objectives. You will also look at close down including writing
FM Budget Management progress reports and identifying
be monitored and how the FM This unit considers the function external influences as well as
can address issues and how to raise the profile of FM variations, completing relevant
of budgets in FM and how they documentation and evaluating
re co mme n d so lu ti o n s t o are set. You will learn about within your organisation.
customer satisfaction problems. the success of the project at the
zero-based and incremental end.
budgets and consider ways to
monitor and manage budgets.
7. Next Steps...
By downloading this brochure, you’ve already taken the first step towards becoming a great facilities manager. You’ve probably already got a
good idea of which level, size and delivery method you’d like to go for. Once you’ve made this decision, all that’s left to do is enrol onto your
chosen course.
To enrol on a course, you need to fill out our online enrolment form. This is a simple step by step process and shouldn’t take more than a few
minutes. Once it’s done, we’ll contact you to make the necessary arrangements to start your course.
Of course, it would be remiss of us to leave you without pointing you in the direction of some further information.
For information on fees, have a look at our online price checker.
To double check whether the Level 3 is the right level for you, try our One Minute Leveller
To find out more about the BIFM, visit their website. Here you can find more information about the qualifications, as well as about the organisation
as a whole, the benefits of membership, and up to date news from the leading UK FM industry body.
Of course, if you have any further questions that haven’t been answered, or if you’d just like to speak to a human being before committing, you
can call us during business hours on 0845 474 0054, or e-mail enquiries@xenongroup.co.uk. We’d be happy to give you any more information you
need.
8. Meet the Team
The Permanent Staff...
This is David, our Managing Director, This is Sue, who will be your main This is Aneta. You’ll be dealing with This is Chris. If you attend workshops This is Paul. If you call us to enquire
FM Consultancy Director and point of contact when it comes to her regularly when submitting in London, you’ll see him nearly about a course, it’ll be Paul or one of
principal tutor. David is the driving critical feedback for assessments. assignments and dealing with any every week. his team who you’ll most likely be
force behind the Xenon Group. David administrative issues. dealing with.
Sue is a former teacher and nurse, so No-one is really sure what Chris’
wrote the original course material. You can see from the picture how
has the perfect skillset to coax you In keeping with her Polish actual role in the company is, but he
A vastly experienced Facilities through your assignments. Don’t be nationality, Aneta has a fantastic seems to get involved in nearly happy he is to help with enquiries!
Manager, David was once credited fooled by the friendly exterior work ethic but also an almost everything! Look out for him at BIFM Paul was horrified to learn his
with providing FM services for though - if your work isn’t up to completely unpronounceable events, particularly those organised picture was to be included in this
Noah’s Ark. Just watch out for his standard, she’ll be sure to let you surname. by the Rising FMs group for which he brochure - he claims not to be very
sense of humour in classes! know! is a committee member. photogenic.
And the Tutors...
Wg Cdr Geoff Johnson (Rtd) Jules Rutt Samantha Bowman Victoria Glover-Ward Mark Griffiths John Bowen Paul Carder
Over 20 yrs FM Experience CBIFM FBIFM CBIFM BEng CEng MIMechE CBIFM MSc(FM) MBIFM MCIPS MCILT BSc (Hons) MRICS
Founder member of Trillium FM Over 10 yrs FM Experience BIFM Board Member Over 20 yrs FM Experience Over 20 yrs FM Experience BIFM Recognition Award Winner 2009 Chartered FM Surveyor (RICS)
(Now Telereal Trillium) Over 20 yrs FM Experience Over 25yrs FM Experience Over 20yrs FM Experience
