AFE July/August 2012 : Page 15the textbook for training facilities engineers in the Republic of Korea. AFE education and networking programs are now help-ing more than 9,000 members and AFE-Certifi ed professionals operate facilities in a more effi cient, cost-eff ective and environ-mentally friendly manner. As such, AFE is in an ideal position to lead the profession by providing resources, service and recogni-tion to a large international community. In 2012 AFE launched its major Global Initiative. Th e mission of the Global Initiative is to expand AFE’s benefi ts, training and information beyond the Americas to benefi t overseas facili-ties engineering and management with comprehensive, reliable and accessible facilities management resources, education and certifi cation. One of the key activities under the Global Initiative is to expand the outreach of AFE’s certifi cation programs so that facilities engineers and operations and maintenance profession-als will be well-prepared to maintain and manage the complex infrastructure in modern buildings like the Burj Khalifa and the Petronas Twin Towers wherever they may be. Th e Certifi ed Plant Engineer® (CPE) and Certifi ed Plant Main-tenance Manager® (CPMM), two of AFE’s fl agship professional development programs, are well-represented among facilities engineers, operators and maintenance leaders around the world. Fift een percent of AFE-Certifi ed professionals work in countries other than the United States. Th e Republic of Korea is especially well-represented with 250 Certifi ed Plant Engineers. To sup-port its Global Initiative, AFE has a strong and long-standing partnership with the Korea Institute of Plant Engineering and Construction (KIPEC) in Seoul. Every year since 1996, KIPEC has off ered a training course for facilities engineers that uses AFE instructional materials and culminates in students taking the CPE Exam. Edward J. Jeong, PhD, Vice President of KIPEC believes strongly in the partnership between the two organiza-tions, and the CPE itself plays a signifi cant role in developing the facilities workforce in Korea. AFE’s rapidly growing LinkedIn® group also demonstrates the importance and the commitment of the association to the global community. Over 30% of the 3,500 group members are from outside the United States, representing more than two dozen countries on fi ve continents. According to a just-released study by the Society for New Communications Research, working professionals spend 40% of their online time in peer-to-peer networking communities. By managing and maintaining the LinkedIn group, then, AFE provides a tool that facilities profes-sionals deem essential to their daily routine. Th is social media platform is especially valuable for AFE’s international members in countries as diverse as Uganda, Brazil and Trinidad, who may not have access to a local network of facilities professionals with whom to share ideas and solve problems. AFE on LinkedIn can be a resource for remote workers to connect with their colleagues as well, such as the 210 facilities professionals in the U.S. Depart-ment of State who just joined AFE and are stationed in embassies and consulates in all corners of the world. Every time a new building is built or a new facilities engineer is trained or moves to a new country, facilities engineering becomes a more global enterprise. Whether it is developing the massive build-ing projects like those undertaken by Samsung C&T Corporation Engineering & Construction Group or U.S. State Department facili-ties engineers working side by side with local citizens to maintain small consulates in central Africa, facilities engineers must be prepared for the global future. And that global future is a bright one. With more and more international projects reaching completion and new technologies and strategies such as sustainability pushing to the forefront, the demand for highly trained facilities engineers, operators, and maintenance professionals will continue to grow. As the profession grows, AFE will be there to serve as their source of information and technical expertise as well as their connection to colleagues anywhere in the world so they may communicate, share ideas and solve common problems. And AFE’s CPE, CPMM and CPS will continue to identify the most highly prepared facilities professionals everywhere. FEJ Reference: V. DiMauro, P. Auditore, and D. Bulmer. 2012. Th e Social Mind. Society for New Communications Research, Palo Alto, Calif. July | August 2012 ■ Facilities Engineering Journal ■ www.AFE.org 15 Publication List Using a screen reader? Click Here |
