Three years of our Certified TBE Manager course

Digitalisation and sustainability are driving the ever-accelerating transformation of the construction and real-estate sector. Training and executive education courses for technical building equipment (TBE) specialists must keep pace with the latest developments – such as “digital building”, energy efficiency and smart home automation systems – by providing cutting-edge course content and knowledge-transfer methods.

Working closely with the Federal Industrial Association for Technical Building Equipment (Bundesindustrieverband Technische Gebäudeausrüstung – BTGA), Frankfurt School has been offering the Certified TBE Manager (Zertifizierter TGA-Manager) professional development course since 2019. The programme aims to attract aspiring executives in the construction and building services industries. While a number of technical training courses were available before this specialist programme was introduced, there were no executive education options that provided members of the industry with the knowledge they needed to become managers and leaders. Various methods are used to impart these skills, including near-real-world business simulations based on gamification principles – an approach rated as highly productive by former course participants. But the course’s secret sauce is found in the tight blend of theory and practice conveyed by tandem pairings of Frankfurt School faculty staff with experienced managers from BTGA.

“We’re constantly developing the programme’s content and structure, and in keeping with the current zeitgeist, now offer our classes in a hybrid format, meaning we deliver the modules online as well as in the classroom. Digitalisation is driving change throughout the construction industry; it’s no longer unusual to see people on building sites using 3D models or mobile data in real time, and digital remote maintenance is commonplace. Thanks to our close collaboration with BTGA, we spot such trends early on and incorporate them straight into our modules,” explains programme manager Maike Kaffenberger. “What’s more, by using creative techniques such as design thinking, participants can see how these industry trends emerge from entrepreneurial innovation.”

Past cohorts came from all over Germany, with a wide variety of experience in the TBE industry. Interviews with prospective and newly enrolled candidates for the upcoming course have made it clear, however, that it is equally suitable for other, related activities such as ancillary building trades and engineering firms. One of the benefits of this new, broader target market? “When you have such a heterogeneous group of participants, everyone starts sharing ideas in exciting and exceptionally fruitful ways,” says Kaffenberger.

The Certified TBE Manager course takes one year to complete and comprises eight modules held over 25 seminar days. The next cohort is due to start in March 2022, but places are still available. More details of how to register for the course are available here.

In an interview with trade journal tab, two course participants – Maria Vormfenne and Klaus Spohr – talk about their experiences and impressions. You can find the interview (in German) here.