The debate over the Federal Government’s reining in of 457 visas has raised important questions about the willingness of business to invest in and train our own young people.
Migrant visas provide an easy fix for companies unable to recruit skilled personnel (or pay the wages that the local market expects) but it contributes little to the greater good. We all have a common interest in seeing school leavers and graduates transition from study to the workforce but we can’t nor should we expect tertiary institutions to churn out potential employees already equipped with work skills.
As any employer would know, new recruits are only at the beginning of their journey. They come with some skills but the rest can only be acquired on the job and with the leadership, mentorship and guidance that should be found in any good workplace.
The real estate industry has a chequered history in this regard, and recent and proposed reforms around the country have been shaped around the need to raise the level of education and professionalism.
A recent survey by the NSW Business Chamber identified the top three barriers its members faced to taking on a trainee: it’s easier to hire someone already qualified; no budget is available; and staff are too busy to train a new worker*.
Most real estate principals will readily identify with these challenges which is why Richardson & Wrench allocates time and resources to professional development and training programs available to all members of the network.
Over the course of the year our program covers auction training, marketing skills training, digital and social media training, property management training offering CPD point certification, real estate sales training with headline agents, regular staff inductions for our new recruits, Young Guns breakfasts and Principals Leadership Retreats.
It’s a comprehensive program that ensures Richardson & Wrench staff have access to quality professional training and can feel confident that they are pursuing a career not just a job. It also supports office principals with their responsibility for staff development.
Of all the many services we provide to the network, skills training and professional development are amongst the most highly valued. Where time and distance are an obstacle we make courses accessible online through webinars which are just as popular as the live face to face sessions.
The benefits of mentoring falls both ways. There are many directors and senior staffers in the network who count training younger staff as one of the most satisfying aspects of their job.
Being able to play a part in moulding a raw talent into an accomplished and confident individual is a reward in itself. It’s wonderful to be surrounded by the best in the business but doubly so when you’ve helped to create it.