Law Training Centre expands its range of qualifications with new Propertymark courses

Law Training Centre is expanding its range of qualifications with new Propertymark courses for those working in the property sector. To gain more insight into the new qualifications, we spoke to Propertymark Qualifications Manager, Steven Murray.

Who should enrol on the Propertymark courses?

“Anyone in the property sector looking to take the next step. But, let’s think about what Propertymark is as a qualification. Propertymark is a tailor-made qualification focused on making the learner work ready. It’s one of the best qualifications that I’ve come across over the last two decades as an educator. Propertymark has cross-application: it’s for anyone working in property management or estate agency.

“At its heart, it has a focus upon the roles and the duties expected of professionals working in those sectors.

“One of the advantages of Propertymark is that it has been designed by experts in the field. As a qualification, it’s perfect for anyone seeking flexible training and education to fit into the busy working schedules common across the property management and estate agency sectors. It’s also ideal for someone looking for an absolutely fit-for-purpose body of qualifications based on the real-time practical elements of letting, selling and managing property.

“Propertymark is constantly under review to ensure it is always relevant. The aim is to deliver a qualification that equips all professionals across the sector with the skills, knowledge and practical understanding needed in their everyday roles.”

How can a Propertymark qualification support those in the property industry?

“The Propertymark qualifications are a pathway for anyone involved in property management, estate agency, letting or sales of property in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to further integrate and improve their skills, then embed them into their everyday effective practice.

“By taking the qualification, learners become more efficient. It can also increase customer satisfaction by helping practitioners deliver a better service. It could even improve the business’ profitability in that particular sector. After all, if you invest in your staff and teams, you’ll reap the rewards through customer satisfaction and employee performance.

“Propertymark qualifications are recognised professional achievements in a specialist field. Studying and achieving those qualifications can help a practitioner develop their sense of place, standing and personal value. It’s an investment not only in your career, but in yourself.

“That will lead to recognition by peers, colleagues and employers. I believe that undertaking and completing the Propertymark qualification will be recognised as someone who can achieve excellence in their specialist area. In fact, I think we can recognise those undertaking our Propertymark qualifications as the future of the profession.”

What does Law Training Centre offer that differs from other providers?

“One of the things that makes Law Training Centre so different from the other service providers in legal education and training is our nationally recognised excellence and experience. Recognition that comes not just from our learners but also from awarding bodies and national regulators such as SQA, CLC, NALP, SRA and, of course, Propertymark themselves.

“Excellence, experience, and evidence. These are the hallmarks of what we do. This means that all learners who undertake any legal qualification, and especially a Propertymark qualification, will receive a level of support and guidance from Law Training Centre that is not only sector leading, but also current, relevant, and has every learner’s achievement and progression at heart. This means one-to-one tutor support so students have direct access to ask course-related questions and receive personalised support and guidance.

“Propertymark is a nationally recognised qualification body and regulator. They are excellent at what they do. But what we can do is take their qualification and turn it into a ‘doing thing’. We use it as a tool to improve and provide opportunities for anyone taking it on.

“That’s a big step up from just providing the material and the structure. We do it because creating opportunities in your career isn’t just a matter of saying ‘it’s what I do every day. That’s my job.’ Being personally invested in your professional development can have a huge impact on your entire life. And that’s exactly what we want to see. We want to see real career growth for all our learners.”

What are the benefits of having a Personal Academic Coach?

“The Personal Academic Coach is only one part of the 360-degree review and support that we provide for every learner on all our courses. So, this isn’t something that we apply to just a particular area. This is what we do and who we are.

“All our Propertymark learners have access to a fantastically qualified and experienced tutor team to coach and support them throughout their learning.

“We’re experienced in delivering successful teaching, learning, and training to learners who undertake examinations in law at every level. Because of this, we’re aware of the needs and demands of learners, whether they’re studying for professional qualifications for the first time at the foundation level or approaching the pinnacle in their sector.

“Crucially, we have extensive experience of coaching and supporting learners through exams and assessments.

“This new phenomenon of multiple-choice questions – it’s not new to us. These exams can appear daunting, especially for learners who have little or no experience of them. Perhaps they’ve come through the traditional route of academics and training where you have essays to write and three-hour closed book exams.

“That’s why the depth of understanding and level of experience that our tutor team has, not only in coaching learners through exams, but in actually writing and creating them for national regulators, is so important.

“What does that do? It delivers the confidence that learners seek in terms of having tutors with the right knowledge and how to apply it.

“As a coach, what I hold dear (and it’s something that the whole team has at heart) is recognising the value in ‘distance travelled.’

“Everyone progresses at a different pace. We recognise that, but we also appreciate that each and every step taken towards a qualification is as important as actually completing it. Many training providers don’t see that, but we do.

“Every step that each learner takes is understood, recognised, and valued as a new skill. It’s a new professional understanding of how to be the very best you can be in your role. This doesn’t happen six months down the line, nor when you complete your qualification, we celebrate every new insight you’ve gleaned in the last fortnight, what you did today.

“You’ve understood, recognised and attained the value of something contained within that qualification.

“We believe that’s incredibly important because it’s a motivational factor. It can be challenging, because many people think ‘I’ve not completed the qualification so I’m not good at this yet, but that’s completely false. The fact that you are dedicating precious free time, away from work, away from family, away from all the commitments we have, to study and progress is an achievement in itself.

“We value every learner equally, no matter what qualification or level they’re on.

“As coaches, we value everything a learner brings to their studies and not just their professional experience, prior academic achievement or job title, but also who they are as a person.

“Why did they enter the sector in the first place? What do they value about their job? What would they like to change about it? Everything is important.”

Why should you study with Law Training Centre?

“I believe that through Law Training Centre, Propertymark qualifications will encourage learners to reflect upon their role and what they do every day – their tasks and undertakings. Many do these every day without giving them another thought, but through the Propertymark qualifications they’ll study with us, they can see the importance and the inherent value of those tasks – not only to their employer, but to their colleagues, their clients, and to themselves.

“Let’s talk about ‘value’.

“Law Training Centre, across the entire team, recognises the deeper meaning of that term. In that, not only is a Propertymark qualification excellent value for money, but it’s also a very purposeful investment. It’s about achieving an award that will enhance that learner’s added value – something that’s often overlooked by other providers.

“We see that added value as increasing what a learner can deliver for their business, enhancing their career trajectory and providing a return on investment in real terms. We’ve always repeated that a business’s most valuable commodity is their employees. We’re here to help employees showcase that value.”

What courses are being launched initially?

“The first course launching is the Propertymark Level 3 Award in Commercial Property Agency. This is helps practitioner act as an intermediary for commercial property renting and sale. This course would be perfect for a learner engaging with businesses and owners of commercial properties to act between the parties.

“Enrolment for this course opens on 14 April.”

What other courses are in the works?

“We’re currently working on two more Level 3 awards and one Level 4 certificate.

“We are developing a Level 3 award in the Sale of Residential Property. You would be representing owners of properties, would-be buyers and advertising properties for sale. That covers everyone from people who are new to the property market as first-time buyers, and those who are looking to buy and sell as a commercial interest.

“We are also working on another Level 3 award in Residential Letting and Property Management where our learners would be dealing more extensively with landlords. That could be a landlord with a single house or a magnate with hundreds of properties in their portfolio.

“Our final Level 3 course that we will be launching in the future is Real Property Auctioneering. What this refers to is selling a property by auction rather than commissioning an estate agent and waiting for offers.

“We are also working on a Level 4 Certificate in Sale of Residential Property. This is the step beyond our Level 3 award that is launching on 14 April. At this point, learners may be involving themselves in the legal aspects of a sale and dealing with more senior colleagues in their firm.

“Across these qualifications, we cover everything from client care to customer satisfaction, and some also look at the management of a busy office along with health and safety matters such as ensuring the welfare of colleagues when they go out on visits or when they view a property for the first time.

“It’s my absolute belief that Propertymark is an excellent qualification. It’s fit for purpose and perfect for its intended audience. I think it opens enormous possibilities for anyone who studies it.”

Learn more about our Propertymark qualifications here.