An equipment planner is responsible for determining all needed equipment for a building, office, company, plant, or other place. Though equipment planners can be found in all industries, they are typically used in the medical field. The equipment planner works with construction crews, department heads, architects, and designers to get what will be needed for a completed project. To become an equipment planner, you will need a sense of spatial relations as well as specific skill sets.
The equipment planner must not only plan what equipment will be needed within a building, but also locate and purchase the equipment. This means you must develop business relationships with different equipment manufacturers and distributors. Developing such relationships can also help you secure a job in the field.
A four-year college degree in either purchasing or equipment planning will help you become an equipment planner. Courses should include planning, purchasing, invoicing, networking, and forecasting. In addition, courses in computer spreadsheets, databases, and word processing should be helpful in your quest to become an equipment planner. If your goal is to become an equipment planner in the medical field, a biomedical equipment technician certificate or medical equipment installer certificate is typically required.
You should gain three to five years of professional experience in the purchasing or medical field to become an equipment planner. Your experience should show increasing levels of responsibility. While gaining such experience, focus on developing skill sets that include planning, space design, and purchasing. Develop relationships with vendors so that when you move into your career as an equipment planner, you will have relationships already in place. Whether you gain your experience through private jobs, the military, or other government entities, document achievements to use on your resume at a later date.
Choose jobs leading to the equipment planning field that allow you to develop skills in finance management, time budgeting, and space design. As you complete each project, regardless of your role, put together a portfolio of the project, showcasing your contributions. Use the portfolio later to sell yourself to potential equipment planner clients.
Set up a home office. Equipment planners often work independently with multiple clients at once. A home office, equipped with a computer, fax machine, large work table, and file cabinets, will help you stay organized in your new career. Purchase a business wardrobe to wear when you visit client sites.
