Each year in Alberta, there is a demand for approximately 340 new building operators, with up to 150 needed in Calgary alone¹. Not surprisingly, because of that demand, there is actually a shortage of qualified Building Operators in the province. This is a growing industry that is always looking for talent, which given the current economic client is not something that a lot of industries can say.
Building Operators are responsible for the daily maintenance and operation of buildings that have heating, mechanical, and electrical systems². As a result of this, their training can include aspects of technical training in those areas. BOMA, the Building Owners & Managers Association, offers a well-regarded certification program for Building Operators. The program includes:
Building Operator Level 3 – New to the industry
If you’re looking to become a building operator, then BOMA recommends taking the Building Operator Level 3 online course.
Building Operator Level 3 – Introduction to Building Operations is a great way to get an introduction to the industry! This 50 module program is equivalent to 30 hours of classroom instruction and allows users to take what they need, whether it be a refresh on a certain aspect of building operations or take the entire course in preparation for the Building Operator Level 2 – 5th Class Power Engineering Course.
The course covers safety training related to the operation of a commercial building, interpersonal, computer, administrative, facility and process equipment, rotating equipment, facility maintenance, and construction. The students will also have to complete competencies before they successfully complete this program.
Building Operator Level 2
The Building Operator Level 2 prepares students for the 5th Class Ticket and Provincial Exam, which are administered and issued by the Alberta Boiler Safety Association. They also issue a provincial license to persons who satisfy their requirements.
Building operators are in high demand in the industry, and BOMA Calgary is helping to prepare educated and competent operators³.
Like other professions, Building Operators also have the opportunity to take courses to upgrade their skills and progress their careers further.
Building Operators & Lighting
Lighting touches on three major areas of a building: maintenance, electrical, and aesthetics. The common denominator with these three major areas is that they are under the purview of the Building Operator. As a result, lighting is becoming a more integral part of a Building Operator’s job. In addition, as the Building Operator, you are also the first point of contact whenever there is an issue in a building.
To read more about the relationship between Building Operators and lighting, check out our blog post on the subject: Building Operators & Lighting.
The Scholarship
At Calgary Lighting Products, we always strive to create a network of excellence and generosity by giving back to our local community.
This is why we joined forces with both BOA and BOMA professional associations to create the $1,000 Calgary Lighting Products Building Operators Scholarship program. The scholarship is open to all prospective students of the Building Operators Program to apply for. To date, our scholarship has provided financial support to six students, all who have gone on to build a great career in the sector.
¹ECO Canada, http://www.eco.ca/ecoreports/pdf/2011-Building-Operator-Scoping-Study.pdf
²OCCinfo: Occupations and Educational Programs, https://occinfo.alis.alberta.ca/occinfopreview/info/browse-occupations/occupation-profile.html?id=71017837
³BOMA Calgary, http://www.boma.ca/professional-development/courses-programs/building-operator-program/
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