Facilities management awareness amongst high school learners and teachers in the Soutpansberg west circuit in the Limpopo province

The Facilities Management (FM) profession in South Africa needs to start recognising and acknowledging the importance of formal education amongst the population. The question of FM being a career normally receives shallow responses; and it sometimes leads to a contradiction. The FM profession seems to be taking an ‘as it is’ approach, when it comes to the establishment of an education agenda; since there is no clear evidence regarding alignment and transition from high school to tertiary level, and then to the workplace. The level of awareness plays a significant role in all elements of FM practice. Even at the present moment, FM is still not a career of choice, meaning that anyone can be a facilities manager. There are parts of South Africa where the population is unaware of FM. Some had never heard about it at all. It was important to establish the level of awareness: with the intention of developing a critical awareness of FM as a career path amongst high school learners and teachers in the Soutpansberg West Circuit, in order to inform them of a possible career choice in FM. In this study, a mixed-model research methodology was used, which combines both qualitative and quantitative research approaches. A population was identified from which a sample of 14 high schools, 87 high school teachers and 2 299 high school learners was drawn. A ‘fit for purpose’ questionnaire was distributed to the participants. The data were collected by means of a survey. It focused on a survey; and it used a questionnaire that was composed of multiple closed-ended or quantitative-type items, as well as several open-ended or qualitative-type items. Thematic analysis was used for the open-ended questions. This study has successfully managed to determine the awareness levels of high school learners and teachers relating to FM, the need for FM awareness in high schools; and whether there were high school learners who wished to become facilities managers in the future. FM companies, tertiary institutions, and high schools must collaborate in the development of the FM career-guidance programme, in order to increase awareness amongst the teachers and learners. There were students who indicated that they were interested in FM as their career of choice