Facility Operations Specialists: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of facility operations specialists about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for facility operations specialists to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of facility operations specialists expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for facility operations specialists.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Facility Operations Specialists?
Do facility operations specialists need a degree? What kind of experience do facility operations specialists typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for facility operations specialists to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Facility Operations Specialists
Jobs Postings for Facility Operations Specialists By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 43,413 (38%)
- High School or GED: 31,599 (27%)
- No Education Listed: 30,768 (27%)
- Master's degree: 8,197 (7%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,493 (1%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of facility operations specialists. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 38% of positions. In 27% of job listings a High School diploma or GED was required and in 27% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Facility Operations Specialists
Jobs Postings for Facility Operations Specialists By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 8,738 (13%)
- 2-3 Years: 23,364 (35%)
- 4-6 Years: 21,475 (32%)
- 7-9 Years: 5,741 (9%)
- 10+ Years: 6,950 (10%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for facility operations specialists. In 35% of job postings for Facility Operations Specialists, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 32% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 13% of job postings for facility operations specialists.
What Kind of Degree Do Facility Operations Specialists Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for facility operations specialists, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 6 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective facility operations specialists, and in 2023 a total of 99,289 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective facility operations specialists.
Top Degree Programs for Facility Operations Specialists
Top 5 Degree Programs for Facility Operations Specialists (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business/Commerce, General. | 57,116 |
| Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General. | 16,602 |
| Organizational Leadership. | 15,298 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,872 |
| Project Management. | 4,299 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business/Commerce, General. | 57,116 |
| Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General. | 16,602 |
| Organizational Leadership. | 15,298 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,872 |
| Project Management. | 4,299 |
| Purchasing, Procurement/Acquisitions and Contracts Management. | 1,102 |
What Skills Do Facility Operations Specialists Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by facility operations specialists to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for facility operations specialists, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Facility Operations Specialists
Based on 102,942 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Facility Operations Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Facility Management | 30,154 | 29% |
| Project Management | 18,786 | 18% |
| Construction | 17,469 | 17% |
| HVAC | 17,437 | 17% |
| Plumbing | 14,537 | 14% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Facility Operations Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 49,425 | 48% |
| Operations | 47,990 | 47% |
| Communication | 45,466 | 44% |
| Leadership | 29,850 | 29% |
| Customer Service | 29,576 | 29% |
Based on 102,942 job postings related to facility operations specialists, facility management was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 29% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for project management, construction, hvac, plumbing and facility repair and maintenance were also highly sought.
As for common skills, management was the most desired skill found in job postings for facility operations specialists, followed by operations, communication, leadership, customer service and planning.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Facility Management | 30,154 | 29% |
| Project Management | 18,786 | 18% |
| Construction | 17,469 | 17% |
| HVAC | 17,437 | 17% |
| Plumbing | 14,537 | 14% |
| Facility Repair And Maintenance | 13,687 | 13% |
| Auditing | 10,719 | 10% |
| Renovation | 9,152 | 9% |
| Preventive Maintenance | 8,337 | 8% |
| Invoicing | 7,962 | 8% |
| Painting | 7,480 | 7% |
| Facility Operations | 7,130 | 7% |
| Procurement | 7,129 | 7% |
| Carpentry | 7,035 | 7% |
| Purchasing | 6,666 | 6% |
| Operations Management | 6,124 | 6% |
| Housekeeping | 5,888 | 6% |
| Landscaping | 5,850 | 6% |
| Environment Health And Safety | 5,696 | 6% |
| Accounting | 5,675 | 6% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 49,425 | 48% |
| Operations | 47,990 | 47% |
| Communication | 45,466 | 44% |
| Leadership | 29,850 | 29% |
| Customer Service | 29,576 | 29% |
| Planning | 23,414 | 23% |
| Coordinating | 20,145 | 20% |
| Microsoft Office | 16,663 | 16% |
| Scheduling | 15,836 | 15% |
| Problem Solving | 15,623 | 15% |
| Writing | 15,154 | 15% |
| Microsoft Excel | 14,379 | 14% |
| Detail Oriented | 13,261 | 13% |
| Budgeting | 13,005 | 13% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 11,069 | 11% |
| Lifting Ability | 10,621 | 10% |
| Computer Literacy | 10,451 | 10% |
| Microsoft Outlook | 10,231 | 10% |
| Supervision | 9,433 | 9% |
| Organizational Skills | 9,426 | 9% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about facility operations specialists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for facility operations specialists.
What do facility operations specialists do?
How much do facility operations specialists make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.