From asset management, to risk management, operations & maintenance and business management, ProFM gives you the knowledge and tools you need.
ProFM Overview Video
Show the world you're a PRO with the ProFM credential
Broaden Your FM Knowledge With ProFM
Everything an FM should know
Facility professionals, leading FM experts, and FM employers from around the globe have come together to create the ProFM Body of Knowledge. This Body of Knowledge includes the 24 competencies and knowledge areas required of today’s facility professionals, and is the foundation of the ProFM credential.
Know Your FM Knowledge Baseline
Discover how your FM knowledge compares to the ProFM standard
Knowledge and skill gaps may be holding you back from boosting your performance and building your confidence in the workplace. Try our Map Your Gap self-assessment and receive a FREE REPORT showing your areas of strength and your opportunities to grow.
Enjoy Flexible & Effective FM Training
Comprehensive study materials and four learning options set you up for success
The ProFM Credential Program includes everything you need to build your FM knowledge and skills, prove your competency, and earn the ProFM credential. It teaches and tests the ProFM Body of Knowledge through online reading materials, study tools, and the ProFM final assessment.
While the ProFM study materials deliver “the what” of your ProFM learning experience, the four learning options provide “the how, when, and where.” Choose one of four learning options to best match your personal preferences for scheduling, budget, instructor support and location.
Select a ProFM learning option below to take a closer look.
Coached Self-Study
Self-Study flexibility with additional support from an expert instructor.
From $1795 USD/person
Instructor-Led
Get in-depth, expert instruction while networking with other FMs like you.
Fees set by global education partners
Team Training
Customize a training program based on your team’s unique needs.
From $1525 USD/person
(based on teams of 2+)
Don't take our word for it. Read what FMs think about earning their ProFM!
“The knowledge I gained from the ProFM program gives me the confidence to know I can provide the best facility management experience for all involved and keeps me up to speed with FM.”
Lisa Trayter, ProFM
Greater Pittsburgh Area – School District
“FMs can only dedicate a limited amount of time and funding to training and credentials. ProFM covers all the subject matter of up to 10 other FM credentials combined.”
John Hajduk, ProFM
Sodexo
“ProFM is a great whether you are just getting into Facilities Management or a seasoned veteran. The information is relevant for today’s industry and easy to understand and apply in the field.”
Johnathon Caradonna, ProFM
NuVasive
Let's stay connected and #TransformFM together!
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Who is ProFMI?
A: Formed in April of 2017, ProFMI is a partnership between National Facilities Management & Technology (NFMT), Milwaukee, WI, provider of live and online facilities management education and Holmes Corporation, an instructional design, marketing and distribution firm delivering premium-quality learning systems to professionals around the world.
Led by a commission of voluntary leaders speaking for the market and representing the diversity of the FM profession, ProFMI is committed to elevating the facility management industry and serving its professionals around the world. It assembles the top thought leaders in the industry to define the required knowledge and competencies of all facility managers, validate these findings with ongoing market research, create and deliver superior education, and evaluate professionals against these standards.
Q: How is this credential different than existing FM credentials?
A: ProFM is the most significant project in years focused on supporting the FM profession, and the success and upward career mobility of facility professionals. Today’s facility professionals need to be equipped with broad spectrum FM knowledge and strategic business skills. There is no other credential that currently meets that need. ProFM is:
- Comprehensive: The ProFM Body of Knowledge includes 19 functional areas and five cross-functional competencies that have never before been combined together into one complete program.
- Applicable: ProFM focuses not only on enhancing your knowledge, but also building practical application skills.
- Global: ProFM’s Body of Knowledge reflects the globalization of the FM industry from the incorporation of global FM ISO standards, the perspective of international ProFMI Commission members, and input from facility professionals in 93 countries.
- Relevant/Current: The ProFM Body of Knowledge, developed in 2017, is the most current and relevant standard for facility professionals. It goes beyond the traditional definition of FM to reflect the knowledge and skills required of today’s facility professionals.
- Independent: ProFM was built by the ProFMI Commission, an independent and voluntary group of respected Facility Management industry leaders, experts, and practitioners who have come together with the common goal of elevating and uniting the FM profession.
Q: How is the ProFM credential different from the Certified Facility Manager (CFM)?
A: We know and respect the value of the CFM certification, which is why the ProFM is not positioned to compete with it. Rather, it has been established to elevate the FM industry as a whole. Furthermore, the ProFM and CFM credentials are different in very significant ways:
- The ProFM credential is a knowledge-based designation, focused on building knowledge and skills. IFMA’s CFM is an experience-based certification, designed to validate knowledge and experience by passing the proctored CFM exam.
- ProFM is created as a universal credential, not only in its global reach and content, but also in its applicability to FMs at any point in their career.
- The ProFM Body of Knowledge, created in 2017 with input from over 3,300 professionals in 93 countries, covers 19 FM knowledge areas and 5 cross-functional competencies. The CFM exam is based on IFMA’s 11 core competencies.
The ProFM Institute conducted extensive research as we explored the potential for this credential, and found that of the 3.2 million FM professionals in the United States, less than two percent hold an FM credential. That tells us the market is currently under-served, both here and around the world. We want to help change that.
The FM industry includes many practitioners who are unaffiliated with a specific association, but still want to enhance their capabilities. We’re confident that the ProFM designation is that tool, allowing facility professionals to advance their careers and the important industry they serve.
Q: How is the ProFM credential different from the Facility Management Professional (FMP) credential?
A: ProFM has a number of significant differences from IFMA’s Facility Management Professional (FMP) credential.
- The FMP teaches four of IFMA’s eleven FM topic areas. ProFM teaches all 24 knowledge areas and cross-functional competencies required of FM professionals included in the ProFM Body of Knowledge.
- ProFM is designed to fill the knowledge gaps of FM professionals at all career stages, providing exposure to the full spectrum of FM topics and business strategies that you may not have been exposed to through your work experience.
- The ProFM Body of Knowledge was created in 2017 and reflects the most current requirements of FM professionals. The ProFM will be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure it covers emerging trends and best practices.
- ProFM has a 3-year term of validity. The credential maintenance requirements are designed to keep your knowledge and skills up-to-date through practical and convenient professional development activities.
Q: Are employers embracing the ProFM credential? How can employers benefit from ProFM?
A: Yes, ProFM was developed to meet the needs of FM professionals and employers. A number of well-known and well-respected FM employers from around the world contributed to the development of ProFM. In fact, our ProFM research study gathered input from professionals representing over 1,800 unique employers.
There are a number of reasons why employers have already committed their support to ProFM:
- ProFM sets a global standard for the profession: By creating a globally accepted standard for today’s evolved profession, employers can confidently evaluate their staff against these standards and provide training to fill knowledge and skill gaps with ProFM.
- ProFM offers employers a way to evaluate and train staff: ProFM offers broad FM training and business strategies while providing an independent verification of the knowledge and skills required of today’s facility professionals.
- ProFM builds a broad spectrum of FM and business skills to fill retirement gaps: With the most senior facility professionals preparing to retire, there is a critical need for new and mid-career professionals to expand their skill set and prepare for leadership.
- ProFM offers an independent market view of FM: ProFM was developed by facility professionals, for facility professionals. Respected FM thought leaders, employers, and working professionals came together to identify the knowledge and skills required of today’s facility professionals. We are committed to the advancement of the FM profession and its professionals.
- ProFM will continue to represent evolving corporate needs: ProFM is developing a corporate advisory board to ensure the credential and training remain relevant and current to industry needs.
Q: Who is the program designed for?
A: ProFM was designed to be the one credential for all facility professionals, applicable across industries, job titles, and geographies. ProFM is beneficial at all career levels:
- Early Career FM-Related Roles: ProFM provides early-career facility professionals with new FM skills and knowledge and a way to gain recognition with employers, clients, and coworkers.
- Mid-Career FM-Related Roles: ProFM helps mid-career facility professionals identify and fill their knowledge and skill gaps, prove that they have the skills desired by employers, and show their commitment to leadership.
- Senior FM Professionals: ProFM helps senior facility professionals update and validate their knowledge and skills while also serving as a helpful tool for identifying knowledge gaps in themselves and their staff.
Q: How do you earn the ProFM credential?
A: We’ve made it simple for all facility professionals to earn the knowledge and skills they need to advance their careers.
- No Prerequisites: There are no mandatory pre-requisites, however it is beneficial for candidates to have a basic knowledge of facility management, a related FM credential, and/or work experience in an FM functional area such as Operations & Maintenance, Asset Management, Risk Management, or Business Management.
- Steps to Earn ProFM: Everything you need to grow your FM knowledge and earn the ProFM credential is included in the ProFM Credential Program.
- ASSESS your current FM knowledge and identify gaps with an online pre-test.
- BUILD your FM knowledge by reading printed or online study materials.
- CHECK your knowledge retention and understanding using online quizzes and flashcards.
- EARN your ProFM credential by passing the two-part online final assessment with a score of 70% or higher.
- RENEW your credential every three years and stay on the cutting edge of the FM industry.
- Flexible Study Options: Choose one of four learning options to best match your personal preferences for scheduling, budget, instructor support and location.
Q: What does the ProFM Credential Program include?
A: The ProFM Credential Program includes everything you need to build your knowledge and earn the ProFM credential with no additional application or assessment fees. Regardless of the study option you choose, self-study, instructor-led courses, or group training, everyone will receive:
- Reading materials, available online via an embedded e-reader, teach the entire ProFM Body of Knowledge. Printed versions of the reading materials are also available.
- Online study tools help you identify your knowledge gaps, build a study plan, and apply the topics you’ve learned through quizzes, flashcards, and more!
- Online final assessment, available on-demand, determines if your knowledge meets the ProFM standard. This is a two-part assessment. Both parts must be completed with a score of 70% or higher to earn the ProFM credential. The exams may be repeated at no additional charge.
- Part 1: Knowledge Exam – Designed to measure your breadth of knowledge in the FM profession, based on the 19 functional knowledge areas and five (5) cross-functional competencies of the ProFM Body of Knowledge.
- 75 multiple-choice questions
- 90 minute time limit
- Part 2: Application Exam – Designed to test your ability to apply your skills to real-world scenarios that you may encounter in your work. Questions focus on reviewing and critically analyzing different situations to best apply the ProFM knowledge and competencies.
- 50 multiple-choice questions
- 90 minute time limit
- Part 1: Knowledge Exam – Designed to measure your breadth of knowledge in the FM profession, based on the 19 functional knowledge areas and five (5) cross-functional competencies of the ProFM Body of Knowledge.
Q: How long will it take to earn the ProFM credential?
A: The length of time it takes to earn the credential will depend on your chosen study method, your level of experience, how quickly you read, and other factors. However, we estimate that most candidates can complete the online training and assessments within 55-60 total hours.
Q: What is the cost of earning the ProFM credential?
Get Started Today! Order Your Self-Study or Coached Self-Study Program Below:
SELF-STUDY
ONLINE ONLY
$282.50/month for 6 months*
- 12 month product access
- Online study tools
- Online final assessment
- Printed reading materials
- 7 Coaching sessions
SELF-STUDY
ONLINE + PRINT
$290.83/month for 6 months*
- 12 month product access
- Online study tools
- Online final assessment
- Printed reading materials
- 7 Coaching sessions
COACHED SELF-STUDY
ONLINE ONLY
$299.17/month for 6 months*
- 12 month product access
- Online study tools
- Online final assessment
- Printed reading materials
- 7 Coaching sessions
COACHED SELF-STUDY
ONLINE + PRINT
$307.50/month for 6 months*
- 12 month product access
- Online study tools
- Online final assessment
- Printed reading materials
- 7 Coaching sessions
Q: Can I pay for the ProFM Credential Program over time or in smaller installments?
A: We have teamed up with PayPal Credit to allow qualified individuals to pay for the ProFM Credential Program over 6 months, interest free. At this time, PayPal Credit is only available to U.S. residents.
Visit https://www.profmi.org/payment-plan/ for complete details and steps to order.
Q: Once the credential is earned do I need to do anything to maintain it?
A: To ensure that your knowledge is kept relevant and up-to-date, you will be required to renew your ProFM credential every three years.
- You must earn a minimum of 45 contact hours of continuing education related to the FM
profession or “renewal credits” for each renewal cycle. - Renewal credits will be awarded for FM professional development related to the individual,
the organization, and/or the profession. - A small renewal fee of US$99 will be applicable every 3 years.
- A predetermined percentage of credential holders will be audited annually.
Visit www.ProFMi.org/renewal for complete details.
Q: How does my ProFM credential get displayed as a badge?
A: ProFM has partnered with BadgeCert to give you an easy and secure way to share your ProFM credential achievement and maintenance.
Post your digital badge anywhere – it may be shared as part of your profile on social media sites, embedded in your email signature, or posted on your website. Once shared, your digital badge validates your achievement for employers, peers, clients, and customers.
Visit www.ProFMi.org/digital-badge for complete details.