Military transition: Building a career in facilities management

San Diego is a robust military city inhabited by both active-duty military personnel and military veterans. One of the greatest obstacles veterans face is the transition of skills learned while serving in the military into successful careers as civilians. However, the experience and training gained in the military can be absolutely invaluable to many employers—especially in certain fields and industries.

The Facilities Management field is a great fit for military personnel in transition.  For example, there are parallels between military experience and the construction field, including the design, building, maintenance, and improvement of military infrastructures, power plants, roads, docks and bridges.  In addition to hands-on facilities training, military personnel often possess leadership and problem-solving skills essential to success in the field. Facilities Management involves the coordination of physical infrastructure, space, people and organizations. Facility managers work in business locations ranging from offices buildings to hospitals to sports arenas.

Now is a great time to consider a career in Facilities Management; this is a field that is rapidly evolving, and new roles are constantly being created. Buildings have become increasingly more technologically complex, and the pressure to create more sustainable facilities has led to an increase in demand for highly-skilled workers to cover new and changing responsibilities. These responsibilities can include: designing office layouts for maximum productivity, understanding safety and health regulations, creating systems within buildings such as cooling and heating, implementing sustainable practices, emergency preparation, contractor selection, and finding less expensive ways to run facility operations.

Salaries of a Facilities Manager are dependent on a variety of factors, including the size of the facility, the type of building, and the budget of the organization. According to PayScale.com, median salaries are over $61,000.

UC San Diego Extension offers a certificate in Facilities Management that complements the hands-on training many receive while serving in the military. Visit our website to learn more about our programs and how to best utilize veteran's education benefits.