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Given the real estate industry’s size and importance to so many Australians – particularly amid the current housing supply and cost-of-living challenges – the need to support and maintain the professional standards of industry practitioners has never been greater, writes Kelly Ryan, chief executive officer, Real Estate Institute of Victoria.
Key to achieving this is ensuring that the calibre of professional education and qualification processes for new entrants to the industry is such that they benefit both participants, in enhancing their professional capabilities, and the community members who they ultimately serve.
But we understand that it’s not always easy for prospective, or indeed even current, real estate professionals to know what to look for in training providers’ offerings when having to choose between them.
So, we have described below five considerations that are relevant to our own training approach at the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) – as the peak representative body for the property sector in Victoria – which might be helpful to bear in mind in choosing the right provider for you.
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Provider and training program fundamentals
Ensure the provider is a legitimate registered training organisation (RTO), and accredited to provide the relevant qualification training programs in the particular state or territory, by conducting a related search at training.gov.au.
The provider should clearly set out key details of the offered training program, including, for example, a course outline, any entry requirements, class timings, delivery duration and fees.
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Costs certainty
Be careful to ensure you fully understand the costs involved in undertaking the qualification training program.
Being able to access and review comprehensive fee details is essential in avoiding the risk of being charged unforeseen additional costs.
Some providers, for example, may charge additional costs for the likes of assessments and trainer support, and this may not be clear at the time of enrolment.
And, as a general rule in considering the promoted offer terms of a training program, remember that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is!
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Industry expertise
Genuine industry expertise is key to a provider’s ability to offer enhanced training programs which enable participants to apply course learnings to their daily work.
To use the REIV as an example, being the peak body for real estate in Victoria means we are at the forefront of changes in the industry and can ensure that our training programs are relevant, up-to-date, regulatory compliant and reflective of the latest industry trends.
Complementing this are training programs which are conducted by industry experts, who possess hands-on experience and have the ability to bring course theory to life.
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Support and accessibility
Consider the relative user-friendliness of the provider’s offering, including, for example, in terms of the online learning platform that will often be central to your program experience and the flexibility offered.
So too, whether the provider offers easy-to-access support with qualified trainers – and whether additional costs apply for this.
More generally, query whether the provider has the ability to genuinely cater for people from different backgrounds, needs and abilities.
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Feedback
Check what others have to say about the provider and training programs you’re considering.
Consider talking to real estate professionals who have undertaken a qualification to find out what they liked, or perhaps didn’t like, about the particular training program.
Meaningful feedback provided in online user reviews can also be helpful in informing your decision.
Don’t be afraid to contact a provider directly with any questions or comments. The level of engagement offered by a provider to someone who is yet to enrol in a program can often be an invaluable indicator of the quality of the course offering itself.
Kelly Ryan is the chief executive officer at the Real Estate Institute of Victoria.
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