Skills training for registered estate agents from historically marginalised communities



The Institute of Estate Agents in the Western Cape has recently launched a pilot project to provide skills training for registered estate agents from historically marginalised communities, with the aim of raising professional standards. The 16-week training course, which starts on Wednesday, April 9, is open to individuals who have proven their commitment by working in the industry for at least a year. The outcomes based education programme will consist of training sessions ranging across a host of topics including sales, marketing, office administration and basic financial requirements. It also includes aspects such as legal knowledge, IT training, use of the institute's facilities, how to access SAPTG (South African Property and Transport Guide) information for property valuations and more. The institute will train two groups of agents this year and bring the same groups back for advanced training next year. The current group comprises 25 trainees with experience ranging from 18 months to 15 years. "This is not a teaching programme, but a mentoring one," says Vivien Marks, general manager of the Institute of Estate Agents of South Africa, Western Cape. "Trainees will have to find out how to do things themselves. What they get out of the programme depends on the amount of effort the individual puts in." Candidates will work in groups and be mentored by current board directors, who will provide a support system that the agents, in the region, have lacked until now. Each director has committed to a mentorship programme and will be available to the trainees in an advisory capacity and to answer trainees' questions. Those who are able, will also demonstrate administration procedures at their offices and enable trainees to gain hands on experience. Anne Porter, Western Cape chairman of the institute, says all at the institute are delighted with the calibre of agents who have been accepted on the first course. Several have been running one-person business for two to ten years and are eager to upgrade their skills. "The institute pioneered education for estate agents and is of great benefit as one gets to network with other agents," she says. "The programme will help agents and staff foster a professional and more integrated feeling among estate agents on the whole, as well as help develop better business methods." The project, Porter's brainchild, has received the board's unanimous blessing. With its focus on transformation during 2003/4, the institute believes this training is the most effective contribution it could make, as each agent will become confidant in negotiation, management and administration, among other aspects of the job. While transformation is the key focus during the current board's term of office, Porter points out that the institute has always been fully integrated, with no barriers to membership, barring compulsory registration with the Estate Agents Affairs Board. "The training will be directed to cover the needs of the agents in their specific market," she says. "Legal language is a problem, therefore we intend formulating a simple explanation of a deed of sale in English, using layman's terms, with explanations in Xhosa and Afrikaans." The pilot project has the support of the Services SETA (Sector Education Training Authority). If successful, the Western Cape branch will provide a blueprint that will enable the institute to implement the programme on a nationwide basis. "There is no right or wrong, good or bad way of doing something, but how you do it," says Johan Meyer, a course lecturer. "At the end of the training, everyone will have learnt something from everyone else." Training will be provided free to participating agents. For more information or to register for training, phone the Institute of Estate Agents Western Cape on (021) 531 3180. Article: Lynn Ely Career Times in the Cape Times