This Apprenticeship framework, ranging from Intermediate to Advanced level, has been designed with the help of employers to attract new people into the Facilities Management (FM) sector and to upskill the existing workforce with qualifications. FM involves providing a quality and cost effective maintenance and care service for a wide range of commercial and public buildings, such as hotels, hospitals, office and shopping complexes, arenas, educational or convention centres. Facilities Managers make sure that facilities such as security, catering and cleaning (referred to as ‘soft services’) and maintenance and building services (referred to as ‘hard services’) run smoothly, so that customers can run their businesses efficiently. The sector is also responsible for property and estates management, including energy management and environmental protection.