Top 5 Questions to Ask Before Choosing Your FM Training Provider

Investing in your professional development can be overwhelming when you're surrounded by choices. Here are five questions you should ask before purchasing facility management training: 

1. What is the flexibility and accessibility of the content? 

We know busy facility managers don't have a lot of time. The last thing you need is to be overwhelmed by your study materials. Before picking a training provider make sure to think about these questions: 

• Do I have 24/7 access to the learning materials?

• How easy and accessible is it to access the content?

• How long do I have access to the materials?

• What languages are available?

• How long do I have to complete a certain course?

These questions will give you a better idea of how you can set up a study schedule to meet your goals.  

2. What learning formats are offered? Are there opportunities for instructor-led courses? 

Maybe you need an in-person format to succeed or maybe you like to study alone. Your training provider should give you options on what formats are available to personalize your experience. Figure out how you learn best and go with the format that will make studying easiest for you.  

At IFMA, we found that many of our trainees start out with self-paced learning and then realize they might need extra help in some areas of study. Those trainees can easily add on different learning formats such as instructor-led courses to provide more structure and help them meet their goals. 

3. What does your facility management training support look like? 

You've done your research and you've purchased a training course. Congrats! Now what? We've found that most facility managers need support and resources to confidently complete their training. When thinking about support, here are a few things to focus on: 

• How easy is it to get in contact with someone if I have a question?

• If you're purchasing training for a group, is your training provider confident they can provide a seamless, cohesive training experience for a large group?

• Are there additional resources provided to help me succeed like study guides or purchasing supplemental training?

• Is there a place you can connect with other trainees to problem-solve or share study tips like an online forum? 

• What happens if my course expires? Are there extensions?

4. What are the benefits of completing this training course for my professional development?  

Completing a training course looks great on your LinkedIn profile, but is there any scientific proof that investing time in training is worth the effort? Experienced training providers have done research on their programs and can provide statistics and a projected return on your investment.  

Here are some things to think about when calculating the ROI of your training program: 

• Will I earn a credential or certification that can be verified on a digital registry?

• How will I be able to display my achievement on my social profiles to ensure the right people see it?

• What are others saying about the training programs?

Don't forget to look up reviews, testimonials, feedback and surveys when researching a quality training provider.

5. What is the credibility, quality and recognition of the training provider?

When you purchase training from an accredited provider that means a reputable third-party has tested the material and verified the quality of education.

If you're putting in countless hours of studying, you want to make sure that the credential or certification you're earning is still valuable years from now. Purchasing training from an accredited provider is the biggest step you can take toward protecting the value of that investment.  

Think about these questions when deciding between accredited training providers: 

• What accreditation does this training provider hold? 

• Do they create original content?

• What is their reputation in the market?

• Do they factor international standards into the courses?

• How many people have completed the program?

At IFMA, we believe quality training adapts to your needs. We make it our mission to consistently update our training materials to reflect cutting-edge technology and rigorous global standards. Interested in learning more?