ISS invests in Sheffield FM degree

28 March 2012

In partnership with the Sheffield Business School at Sheffield Hallam University, ISS has launched its Foundation Degree in Facilities Management with an investment of £250,000.

The 16 study blocks deliver a Higher Education Certificate in FM at the end of the first year and the Foundation Degree at the end of the second. Successful learners can then opt to study for a further year to earn a full BA (honours) in FM with Sheffield Hallam.

Ged Horn, Group HR Director, ISS UK said: "People are central to our business, whether customers or staff. Investing in our employees is a great way to ensure our customers receive an ever better service. ISS offers a true career ladder that encompasses individual skills through vocational and managerial qualifications all the way to an MBA. We partnered with Sheffield Hallam as it really understands FM and how to create training programmes that deliver excellent results. The fact that our course is already four times oversubscribed proves the quality of this approach."

Study block topics include reflective management practice; an introduction to FM; Contract, customer and service delivery; building management; risk; people management; managing change; communication and marketing; finance management; and contract management in facilities services.

This qualification complements the wide range of educational programmes ISS offers its staff. Employees can gain recognised qualifications in many different areas including Management, Safety & Environment and Technical service skills. The course is not just academic learning as the content and assessments are fully integrated with the learner’s work and the course is also accredited by BIFM in recognition of this. eLearning and one to one tutoring are built in to the course to provide as much support as possible for learners.

Paul Wyton, course leader, Sheffield Business School said, "Sheffield Hallam University has a strong reputation of working with forward thinking businesses and this is a fine example of the impact such a partnership can bring."