MASMS Facility Manager Certification Program
Required Curriculum

MASMS Boot Camp
This is a two-day course provided by MASMS. It provides practical experience and proven techniques to help improve skills in the facilities management field. Instructors will describe today’s best maintenance practices and show how other schools have developed high-performance facility departments.

Improve management skills
Optimize maintenance department performance and productivity
Increase leadership skills
Prepare facilities departments for the day-to-day challenges

This course covers the critical aspects of school facility management that include custodial, security, grounds, health and safety, maintenance management, and transportation.

The following topics will be covered for each of the above aspects: Standards, Training, Management Tools, Budgets, Best Practices, Equipment Needs, and Inspections/Checklists

Boot Camp will also provide you with 2 hours of Health & Safety credits required for certification.

Wavier guidelines: Members may receive a certification waiver for Boot Camp if they attended Boot Camp within the last five years or have five or more years of experience as a Building and Grounds Manager or Director. Contact the MASMS office to obtain a waiver request form. Wavier requests will be reviewed and approved by the MASMS Executive Board.

2. Certified Plant Supervisor (CPS) Certification

CPS is a self-study course, with a day-and-a-half review and test preparation class, followed by a three-hour test.  Study materials are provided through MASMS upon registering for the course.  This course and test will be offered through MASMS at different times during the year. There is a fee of $500 for this course. MASMS Scholarships will be offered for members that are unable to pay this fee.

The Certified Plant Supervisor Credential (CPS) is designed to equip the rising supervisor with the professional and interpersonal skills needed to keep their team moving forward. The CPS CREDENTIAL develops and tests supervisors, providing them with the confidence and knowledge to execute and successfully manage any situation. The CPS exam contains 100 true/false and multiple-choice questions. A score of 70% is required to pass.

The CPS training adds to the existing technical skills necessary to perform the job by focusing on the following: Team Building and Law, Leadership and Motivation, Communication and Interpersonal Skills, Time Management and Planning, Finance and Budgeting, Conflict Resolution and Problem-Solving

If you hold a similar certification and/or have college credits that relate to this certification, you may file a request to have this part of the certification waived. 

3. Health and Safety

This training may be achieved at a one-day class that will be offered at least once a year, or at individual classes that may be offered at general MASMS events. These classes will follow up on what you learned in the health and safety portion of the Boot Camp.  The classes will consist of various Health and Safety topics and how they may relate to your current position and career objectives.

4. Finance

This training will be directed by Minnesota Business Official Association (MASBO) officials and will cover financial aspects that a Building and Grounds director should be aware of. This training may be achieved at a one-day class that will be offered at the MASBO institute once a year, or at individual classes that will be offered at general MASMS events. The classes will cover various finance topics.

5. Electives/Open Classes

MASMS will offer classes at all chapter and state meetings, and at the annual conference. Classes offered by other organizations may be applied toward certification. A total of 20 credit hours will be required for this part of the certification. Members will need to fill out a form to request certification credits for those classes.

Credits will be reviewed and approved by the Education Committee.

Electives/open classes may cover a wide range of topics. Those topics may include basic computer skills, technical writing skills, administrative skills, information on how to create a Maintenance Department Manual, legalities of bidding, bid openings, project management, and long-range department planning.