TRAINING


BSc degree courses in building services, quantity surveying and estates management by distance learning, as well as a short course in valuation and investment (24 weeks) – perhaps over the top for the average negotiator, but worthwhile for agents who want to move into property management or commercial property. BRE Training offers energy


assessor accredited qualifications, but also runs courses on construction and the built environment – useful to those who seek a broader knowledge . Meanwhile, the IFS School of Finance may not sound like a regular port of call for estate agents – but in fact, since it offers courses leading to regulatory qualifications for mortgage advisers, it can help agents who want to secure additional revenue from financial services. (Adam Walker also offers a course specifically focused on maximising income from financial services, though this doesn’t deliver a regulatory qualification), 200 hours of study, using self-study materials, are required to achieve the Certificate in Mortgage Advice & Practice. John Durrant at Hello Photo offers photography courses customised for estate agents, focusing on how to make property photographs that win business and how to avoid common mistakes.


The price facTor Costs vary significantly depending on the type of training and the level at which it’s delivered. At the top,


If someone is giving advice on a person’s biggest asset that person should be


qualified.” peTer BolTon King naea ceo


fees for senior level bespoke training can be large – The Academy charges from £2,000 to £7,500 a day – while some training firms cost only £400 a day for off-the-shelf programmes. Budgets vary. Some corporates


spend a large amount on their own in-house training; some spend nothing at all. But according to Phil Bowden, size is not an issue. “Some of my smaller clients spend £3,000 a year in total and they see it as an investment.” The important factor is that properly planned and costed training should generate a return. A cheaper way is the purchase of


self study training materials. The Technical Award materials are available at £130 for NFoPP members (£220 for non-members), while sitting exams in all four modules costs £110 (if they are all taken at once, which the vast majority do). The study materials can be supplemented by in-house training, which many corporates provide, or by NFoPP’s own revision courses. At degree level, the College of Estate Management’s £2,900 a


Costs vary but a one day course can be as little as £400.’


year fees come in vastly lower than the £9,000 top tuition fee allowed for universities – not to mention that students will be working to support themselves during their studies. The internet has had a huge


impact on property training, with self study replacing the need to attend training courses for many qualifications. There’s even free video content available, though the quality varies; some American real estate trainers have free sample videos on Youtube, while the Property Academy has targeted video sessions on its site. Other organisations, such as the National Realtors Association in the US, have webinars and presentation handouts from conferences on their websites. Online delivery is accessible and


low cost. It’s also useful for delivering refresher training, since most videos come in ten minute bites – cost effective compared to sending staff for a half day’s training. And it is particularly good for delivering training that’s information based, such as compliance training. It’s not surprising that many of the leading training organisations are using online delivery as a major component. Peter Knight suggests that online


and DVD based content is particularly useful because it’s searchable, enabling users to access exactly the content they want when they want it. Instead of spending two days on a spreadsheet course, it’s possible to look up exactly the ten-minute segment on how to format tables or how to calculate yield percentages – far more effective.


The DiY rouTe Some agencies are still committed to running their own training. Winkworth trains franchisees and staff through the Winkworth Academy; 28 courses ranging from foundation skills to advanced sales training, as well as legal refreshers. James Trimble says, “We’ve tailored the courses over the years to how we want them and how we see things.” Adam Walker says that while smaller independents don’t have the resources, this is a common route for larger firms; “the big corporates


PROPERTYdrum SEPTEMBER 2011 43


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