The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Foundation will award $185,000 or more in scholarships as part of the 2013 FM Student Scholarships Program. These scholarships will be awarded to highly qualified facility management (FM) students at IFMA’s World Workplace Conference & Expo, held in Philadelphia, Pa., on Oct. 3, 2013.

“As facilities around the world grow more complex, it is becoming more important than ever to educate the men and women responsible for running them,” said IFMA Foundation Executive Director Jeff Tafel, CAE. “With today’s facility managers getting closer to retirement every day, there are simply not enough young people entering the FM field to meet the growing demand. The FM Student Scholarship Program is an important part of a larger effort to address this critical shortage in necessary skilled labor. The IFMA Foundation is also working to support the creation of FM degree programs at higher education institutions colleges and universities around the world.”

Thanks to increasing demand for qualified facility managers around the world, the FM profession is emerging as a top vocational opportunity with strong potential for young people looking apprehensively at a changing job market. Students graduating from one of the 29 international accredited FM degree programs, for example, enter a job market where there are roughly 10 jobs for each qualified candidate with starting salaries range from $65,000 to $85,000.

The FM Scholarship Program supports the education of deserving FM students who demonstrate exceptional educational work and activities. Scholarships offered through the IFMA Foundation are worth a minimum of $1,500, plus $1,500 to allow the student to attend IFMA’s World Workplace Convention and Expo and for travel, meals, accommodations and other Foundation expenses related to the program. 2012 was a record-breaking year with the IFMA Foundation awarding an all-time high of $167,200 to 43 FM students from around the world. In 2013, $185,000 or more will be awarded to deserving students.

Scholarship funds are made possible by donations from endowments and contributions funded by individuals, corporations, IFMA chapters and IFMA councils. Scholarships are available annually to graduate and undergraduate students pursuing degrees in facility management or related fields.

More information, including application instructions and previous winners can be found online at: http://www.ifmafoundation.org/grants-scholarships/.