IEHA Announces Master's Program to Enhance 330-Hour Self Study Curriculum
Elite executive housekeepers will be designated by the credential, "Master of Housekeeping Science (MHS)" (REH-MHS).
Westerville, OH (PRWEB) June 11, 2009
The International Executive Housekeepers Association (http://www. ieha. org) (IEHA) is offering the exclusive opportunity to their Registered Executive Housekeepers (REH) to participate in a Master's Program including coursework to assist in updating IEHA's 330-hour Self Study Program and a thesis or dissertation that will become part of IEHA's permanent educational curriculum.
This elite group of executive housekeepers will be designated by the credential, "Master of Housekeeping Science (MHS)" (REH-MHS) and will maintain their credentials through periodic coursework and meeting annual teaching requirements.
"IEHA's REH members are on the vanguard of industry knowledge, standards and innovations, and those members that achieve their IEHA Master's will not only prove their overall expertise, management and analytical abilities, but keep our 330 hour program on the forefront of industry education and assist the future leaders of tomorrow," says Sarah Larsen, Deputy Director of IEHA.
"Just as a master's degree is an academic recognition granted to persons that have undergone a course of study showing mastery of a specific field of professional practice or study, IEHA's Master's Program will be for our elite members committed to continuous improvement and propagating professionalism," says Beth Risinger, CEO/Executive Director of IEHA.
"It is amazing to see the transformation in our members' point of view as they go through the certification program (http://www. ieha. org/education_certification. php)," says Larsen. "The program brings them a higher level of confidence and professionalism in their position through the tools they are provided. Our Master's Program just takes this to the next level."
Education has been the top priority for IEHA to increase professionalism in the industry ever since it was established in the 1930s. The Association's educational programs have gone through a series of evolutions over the past seven decades--from a 160-hour program, to a 320-hour program, to a 330-hour program--and has been revised every two years as needed since the 330-hour program began in 1985.
"There seems to be a direct correlation between IEHA certification/registration and career advancement (with subsequent salary increases)," says Alan Bigger, REH, Director of Facilities at Earlham College in Richmond, IN, and 20-plus year member of IEHA. "I started off as a supervisor and then, thanks to IEHA, I was able to move up from supervisor to assistant superintendent to manager of a section, then to a director of a very large department, and more recently, director of an entire division, all due in a large part to IEHA."
During the 2009 Masters Program coursework process, the following modules of the Self Study Program will be enhanced: Management Philosophy & Style, Communication, Planning & Organizing, Staffing & Staff Development, Continuous Improvement, Housekeeping Techniques, Work Controls, Pest Control, Chemical Controls, Waste Management, Purchasing, Accounting & Budgets, Safety & Security, Interiors, and Laundry & Linen.
In addition, Green concepts and sustainability will be incorporated throughout all modules. REH Members participating in the Masters Program will be announced during IEHA's 43rd Annual Educational Conference and Convention in Chicago, IL, October 6-9, 2009. IEHA will also be putting the 330-Hour Self Study Program--including dissertation outlines and plans--online by the end of 2009.
The International Executive Housekeepers Association (IEHA), is a 3,500-plus professional member organization for persons employed in facility housekeeping at the management level. The organization was founded in 1930 in New York City, and is now located in Westerville, Ohio, a suburb of the State's capitol, Columbus. Executive Housekeepers are managers who direct housekeeping programs in commercial, industrial or institutional facilities. They supervise staffs ranging from a few to several hundred people and handle budgets from a few thousand dollars to millions. IEHA provides members with an array of channels through which they can achieve personal and professional growth. Some are: leadership opportunities; resource materials; education program designation; employment referral service; a Technical Question Hotline (1-800-200-6342); networking; an annual convention and trade show, including several educational sessions; and a monthly trade publication, Executive Housekeeping Today. Please contact IEHA's Association office at (800) 200-6342 for more details, or go to IEHA (http://www. ieha. org).
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