A new programme launched by the Estate Agency Affairs Board intends adding 10,000 black estate agents to the market before the end of 2017.
Currently, only 10% of the estimated 40,000 estate agents in South Africa are black.
The 'One Learner - One Estate Agency' Youth Programme is aimed at placing intern estate agents in the service of registered estate agency enterprises so that they may act under the supervision and control of a suitably qualified mentor for a period of 12 months. The internship is intended to equip intern estate agents with experiential learning while they obtain the necessary real estate qualifications.
The real-estate sector in SA comprises about 10,000 enterprises and if each of these companies take on one intern for a year, the industry could produce 10,000 new trained agents, EAAB CEO Bryan Chaplog says.
The board was awarded discretionary grant funding by the Services Seta for the programme and the intention is to use it as a leading tool for the transformation of the industry.
The candidates will get a qualification offered over a 12-month period consisting of 30% theory and 70% practical experience.
Training for qualified estate agents takes 18 months. However, each candidate could work on an apprenticeship basis as an intern estate agent.
Major agencies like Pam Golding Properties and Seeff have put their weight behind the programme.