FM students Izzy and Renske travelled to Birmingham for the three-day Workplace Event and returned with a new network, fresh insights and an even greater passion for Facility Management.
Industry
News
Stories
Bigger than expected
From 28 to 30 April, third-year FM students Izabelle Lodge-van der Kooij and Renske Philipsen made their way to the NEC in Birmingham for The Workplace Event. They were invited by EuroFM representative and BUas lecturer Pleun van Deurssen to experience the professional field up close and to explore which industry trends BUas might incorporate into its curriculum.
Both students set off without great expectations. What they found surprised them all the more: a large and substantive event that showed just how broad FM as a professional field truly is. Alongside workplace and facilities, there were sessions on fire safety, health & safety, and cyber & security.
Joining the conversation with professionals
Both students took part in a youth panel on what young professionals genuinely look for in an employer. Izzy also joined a discussion on the generational divide in the workplace: are Gen Z professionals simply less motivated, or do they hold different expectations of work and employers? It sparked an candid conversation between professionals from across Europe.
Renske: "The networking was incredibly valuable. You notice that FM works differently everywhere, but that the challenges are the same."
What did they take away?
Izzy: "A broader perspective on the professional field. Contacts across Europe. And the realisation that FM is anything but dull. It sits right at the heart of the big questions about how people want to work, live and come together."
That is precisely the kind of insight you gain as an FM student at BUas.
About The Workplace Event
The Workplace Event is the home for workplace and facilities innovation. This forward-focused event is where the industry meets to be inspired, share best practice and source leading suppliers to create more effective working environments, improve employee experience and accelerate organisational performance.
