Facility Management - ProFM® Credential
Achieve more with the credential created by facility professionals.
ProFM® is a universal credential that benefits all facility professionals, regardless of career stage, industry or country. It was created in response to the demand for universally accepted standards and training to help employers identify proven talent.
This program will help you:
- Master skills defined and validated by FM employers and professionals around the world.
- Broaden your FM knowledge to optimize the performance of your buildings and the people within them.
- Stay current with best practices and apply them to everyday FM roles and responsibilities.
- Develop your strategic business skills.
- Advance your career and your personal leadership skills.
- Gain credibility with your employers and your peers.
This is a comprehensive program of study built by facility managers for facility managers. The Body of Knowledge includes 5 cross functional competency areas critical to the success of today's FM professional:
- Communication
- Sustainability
- Quality
- Innovation
- Collaboration
- Asset Management (Project Management, Strategic Planning, Capital Planning, Construction)
- Risk Management (Compliance & Standards, Environmental Health & Safety, Security, Emergency Management)
- Business Management (Human Capital, Leadership Skills, Financial Management, Contract Management, Procurement, Real Estate)
- Operations and Maintenance (Technical Services, Occupant Services, Work Management, Utility Management, Space Management)
This program includes 5 weeks of instructor-led, live, interactive online instruction and completion of online quizzes and two final post course examinations. Upon successful completion of the 2 final post course assessments, candidates may apply to ProFMi for award of the credential.
75% Attendance at Adobe sessions and completion of all assigned quizzes and learning activities with a score of 70% or better are required for award of NIU Certificate of Completion.
Students are required to have Internet access, and use a web camera and microphone to participate in the online live sessions. This equipment is not provided by the university.
Early Bird course costs $2,360. Regular price within 30 days of course start date is $2,460. NIU alumni, staff, and students, and certain association members receive a discount.
Please note that the charge to your credit card will appear on your statement as "University Outreach, DeKalb, IL.
A special rate is available for students that have pre-purchased the current version of the ProFM Self Study Materials: Contact Pettee Guerrero at pguerrero1@niu.edu or phone 815-753-6903 for details. Current ProFM license must be confirmed before registration may be completed. Phone registration is required.
- For 21 or more calendar days in advance of start date: Full refund, no fee.
- For 15 to 20 days’ notice in advance of start date: Cancellation fee of 30% of regular registration price.
- For 8 to 14 days’ notice in advance of start date: Cancellation fee of 40% of regular registration price.
- For 7 or less days’ notice prior to start date: Cancellation fee of 50% of regular registration price.
- No show, no contact, contact after course begins: No refund.
- All cancellation requests must be in writing to: Outreachregistration@niu.edu or fax 815-753-6900.
NIU CPE reserves the right to cancel courses within 14 days of class start and prior to shipment of materials if enrollments are not sufficient.
The registration fee is inclusive of the ProFM course materials and materials shipping fee. NIU will ship study materials to students 10-12 days prior to the start the first course. All registrants will receive an e-mail communication from the ProFM customer service team a few days prior to the start of the class with instructions for setting up individual access to the online study resources and exams. Participants registering within 5 days of class start may experience a brief delay in access to the online resources.
You have a choice where to take your ProFM course. Here's why you should choose the ProFM program at NIU.
- Our course is all-inclusive. All assessments are included in the course work. There are no exam fees, and the exam is included in the course materials. That means that when you finish the class (meeting all course requirements), you'll have earned your ProFM certification.
- Both our in-person and online courses are taught by experienced, professional instructors. They are real people doing real facility management work and they've earned professional certification in facility management. They're here to support you.
- Our classes are structured with set meeting times, so you can stay on track to program completion.
- Because you will be led by an instructor, you can ask questions easily and learn from the questions your fellow classmates are asking.
- In fact, you'll be growing your network of ProFM professionals as soon as you start the course, because your classmates (soon-to-be ProFM certified) are learning right alongside you.
- Taking a face-to-face course? Our clean, modern facilities are conveniently located in Naperville, Rockford and Hoffman Estates, so you don't have to spend time commuting far from home. We're adhering to the strict CDC guidelines for cleanliness and safety in all of our buildings.
Jerry DiCola, CFM, SFP, FMP and LEED Green Associate
Year became a CFM: 2005
IFMA chapter: Chicago (co-chair of the Career Services Committee since 2005, named Rookie of the Year in 2006)
Areas of instruction: human and environmental factors, business of FM
Current position: facilities manager, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione (a 175 intellectual property attorney law firm in Chicago)
Background
Jerry’s job responsibilities include the oversight of 120,000 square feet of leased space in the NBC Tower. He also manages the law firm’s daily operations of office services, hospitality services, and maintenance and procurement services. Before joining the firm in 2004, he had successful careers in human resources, sales and entrepreneurial. His varied work experience has provided the needed background to address and support his responsibilities in FM roles. In November 2005, Jerry earned his Certified Facilities Manager (CFM) certification. He holds a bachelor's degree in human resource management from DePaul University.
Ericka Westgard, MBA, CFM, ProFM
Ericka is an experienced senior facilities leader and outsourcing expert. She has worked with several Fortune 500 clients across many industries developing and implementing integrated facilities strategies. She is currently responsible for developing C&W Services’ workforce strategy, addressing the skilled trades gap through innovative approaches to recruitment, training, and industry partnerships. She has served as Chair of the Board of Visitors at North Dakota State University, spoken on FM topics and trends at trade conference and chapter events, and held a number of instructor positions across the US. She is a qualified instructor for FMP and ProFM through Northern Illinois University.
- Online learning options available for FM professionals across the globe.
- Ability to complete the program in as little as 12 weeks.
- Opportunities to connect with other program participants.
- Instructors who bring a wealth of real-world experience to the virtual classroom.
- Course fee includes all course materials (print materials, online study tools and assessments, Blackboard resources and instructor expertise).
Want to learn more about ProFM? Watch the video The 24 Things Every FM Should Know.
ProFM was designed to be the one credential for all facility professionals, applicable across industries, job titles and geographies. ProFM is beneficial at all career levels:
- Early Career FM-Related Roles: ProFM provides early-career facility professionals with new FM skills and knowledge and a way to gain recognition with employers, clients, and coworkers.
- Mid-Career FM-Related Roles: ProFM helps mid-career facility professionals identify and fill their knowledge and skill gaps, prove that they have the skills desired by employers, and show their commitment to leadership.
- Senior FM Professionals: ProFM helps senior facility professionals update and validate their knowledge and skills while also serving as a helpful tool for identifying knowledge gaps in themselves and their staff.
While there are no mandatory pre-requisites, it is beneficial for candidates to have one or more of the following:
- Basic knowledge of facility management
- Work experience in FM-related functional areas such as:
- Operations and Maintenance: Technical and occupant services, work management, utility management, space management
- Asset Management: Project management, strategic and capital planning, construction
- Risk Management: Compliance and standards, environmental health and safety, security, emergency management
- Business Management: Human capital, leadership skills, financial management, contract management, procurement, real estate
- A related FM credential
Award of the ProFM™ Credential: The ProFM™ credential is awarded by the ProFM Institute (ProFMi™). To earn the ProFM™ credential, you must successfully pass two final online assessments. The final exams are embedded in the online component of the program and may be taken from your personal computer. After passing both final assessments, simply submit your application to ProFMi™ for validation. Visit www.ProFMi.org for additional information.
- INVEST: Kickstart your FM studies by enrolling in our ProFM Credential Program course.
- ASSESS: Assess your current FM knowledge and identify gaps with an online pre-test.
- ENHANCE: Enhance your FM knowledge by reviewing the online or printed reading materials.
- CHECK: Check your knowledge and apply the concepts you’ve learned with online quizzes and flashcards.
- EARN: Earn the ProFM credential by passing the two-part online final assessment with a score of 70% or higher.
The ProFM Credential Program helps facility professionals stay up-to-date on the latest developments throughout the industry, and to maintain this currency, ProFM credential holders are required to renew every three years.
ProFM Renewal Requirements (Maintaining Your ProFM credential)
The ProFM Credential Program helps facility professionals stay up-to-date on the latest developments throughout the industry, and to maintain this currency, ProFM credential holders are required to renew every three years. Renewal may be completed by earning a minimum of 45 contact hours of continuing education or “renewal credits” that benefit the development of your personal FM career, your organization’s goals and the industry as a whole. Contact hours can be earned in any of the following categories:
- Continuing Education (attending in-person or virtual courses, educational sessions at conferences, seminars, workshops, digital media consumption, etc.)
- Working in the FM Profession (advancing knowledge and skills as an FM practitioner or consultant)
- Reading (consuming books, articles, whitepapers, blogs, etc.)
- Sharing knowledge (mentoring, coaching, subject matter expert consultation, teaching, etc.)
- Professional accomplishments (presenting, speaking engagements, board/committee member, publication of book/article/whitepaper, earning related credential, etc.)
The ProFM Exam is included as part of this program. You can earn the ProFM credential by passing the two-part online final assessment with a score of 70% or higher.
- Knowledge Exam: 75 Knowledge-based multiple-choice questions. Duration: 90 minutes.
- Application Exam: 50 Situation-based multiple-choice questions. Duration: 90 minutes.
- Pass both exams at 70% or higher to earn the ProFM™ Credential.
Course Overview
Price: $2,460, discounts available.
Discounts: Early registration, NIU alumni, IFMA members, BOMA members, WIFMA members, CONNEX members,
current NIU staff and students
Class Dates/Time: 5-week course, class meets two evenings per week.
Modality: Instructor-led online.
Materials: Study materials and exam included.
Webinar
The 24 Things Every Facility Manager Should Know: An Introduction to ProFM
Recorded October 14th, 2020
