THE SOCIETY OF Facility Engineers (SOFES): An organization whose mission is to advocate for building operators and maintenance workers, especially those of color who have building operations and maintenance knowledge and accumulated hours of working experience acquired from self-learning or employee on the job training or through an internship of a state licensed vocational institution.SOFES was formed by its Vice President a former US Corps of engineer veteran after serving over 60 years as a public servant with more than 20 years as a buildings and safety engineers’ inspector of one of America’s largest cities.
The concept of advocating for self-trained building operators and general maintenance workers arose when he was a member of the Progressive Power Plant Engineers (PPPE) of the 1950s. During that period of time people of color, especially women and foreigners found it difficult to find employment in building operations and maintenance across America due to lack of knowledge and working experience in building operations and maintenance. Union shops were closed to them.In 1990, nearly forty years later SOFES’ Vice President working as a buildings and safety inspector opened the Vocational Institute of Michigan (VIM).
Minorities, especially women needed a learning center for building operations and maintenance training and placement. VIM trained found internships in building operations and maintenance. VIM under scrutiny from closed shop unions sought to free itself from conflicting interests by turning its advocacy tasks over to SOFES.
SOFES, formerly D`Angus Technology, accepted VIM challenge to continue its mission of advocating for building operators and maintenance workers. With this responsibility came a need to find money for operating expenses and overhead costs. SOFES expects VIM to continue its fund raising efforts.
There is never enough funding to advocate, train, certify, and place workers in jobs. “SOFES” ask you to send donations to the Vocational Institute of Michigan. Help support “Facility Engineer Technician” internships programs. They are vitally needed to assure that people all persons have an equal opportunity to be trained, certified, and placed in building operations and maintenance jobs. |
