The IFMA Foundation is pleased to honor Alita Jones as the 2013 International Student of the Year. The award was presented alongside the annual scholarships awarded at World Workplace 2013 hosted by the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) in Philadelphia, Pa., USA. Jones is a student member of IFMA and is currently studying Architecture Project & Facility Management at Conestoga College in Ontario, Canada. The award is possible, in part, thanks to the generous sponsorship of ISS.

“Recognizing excellence in the FM industry at all levels is an important part of what an organization like the IFMA Foundation does,” said IFMA Foundation Executive Director Jeff Tafel, CAE. “Alita Jones not only represents a bright future for facility management around the world, but as an IFMA Foundation scholarship recipient, she is a perfect example of what can be accomplished with the right investment of time and resources. On behalf of the IFMA Foundation, our Trustees and anyone who appreciates a job well done, I want to express appreciation for ISS’s support and to offer hearty congratulations to Ms. Jones, her mentors, teachers and of course her family.”

The International Student of the Year award is given to the student applicant who best exemplifies the future of the facility management profession through academic achievement, excellence and enthusiasm for the industry. The award is given on the basis of merit as evaluated by a team of judges on the following criteria:
• Achievements / accomplishments
• Understanding of FM and sustainability issues
• Aspirations as a future FM professional
• International perspective
• Sponsors endorsement

“It is very exciting to have won this award,” said Jones, the first Canadian student to win the award. “It is a great reflection on the Architecture Project & Facility Management (APFM) program at Conestoga College. I must thank the IFMA Toronto Chapter for supporting my efforts. As a returning mature student, going back to school felt like a big risk; winning an award of this calibre feels like positive feedback from the industry that I am doing the right things, and going the right way in my new career path. As the only IFMA accredited program in Canada, the APFM program has a strong relationship with IFMA. Personal engagement with IFMA and the IFMA Foundation has provided a number of fantastic benefits including scholarship opportunities, professional development, networking and a chance to get a clearer picture regarding the role of the facility manager in the built environment. Through IFMA I have had the chance to travel, meet professionals in the field, gained invaluable mentors and started some great friendships.”

Among Jones’ accomplishments, she was the 2012 Conestoga College Co‐op Student of the Year for placement in Corporate Real Estate at Sun Life Financial, recipient of the Zehr Levesque Award for Academic Excellence and a recipient of an IFMA Foundation Annual Undergraduate Scholarship. Her thesis paper, “Deep Retrofits for Commercial Towers in Toronto,” was accepted for publication consideration and peer review at the Journal of Sustainable Real Estate (JOSRE).

Due in part 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.