E60: Encouraging Women to Explore a Career in Facilities Management

How do you define facilities management at a university or college? Winnie Kwofie, who has overseen facilities management teams in public and private higher education institutions, describes the field as integrating people and processes in one place.

She is passionate about increasing awareness about the diverse and interesting roles in facilities management. Currently, on HigherEdJobs, there are 4,300 open positions listed.

Kwofie helped launch "Women in Facilities in the Cal State U" system while serving as associate vice president of facilities development and operations at California State University East Bay.

Women are underrepresented in the field of facilities management leadership, she said.

The U.S. Department of Labor describes the field as "non-traditional," which could dissuade some women from applying for these roles. Through her research, Kwofie has seen first-hand how a lack of awareness about these roles contributes to unfilled positions and job seekers still searching for that perfect role. 

Kwofie is a licensed civil engineer in the state of California and she recently successfully defended her doctoral dissertation, with an emphasis on educational leadership for social justice. She has held national, regional, and local leadership roles with APPA (formerly known as the Association of Physical Plant Administrators).

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