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With over 2.2 million people forecasted to be working in the property industry by 2020 (ONS), and new businesses and branches popping up all over the country, today's young estate agents are presented with more opportunities than ever before.

In a five part series exclusive to Industry Views, EAT goes behind the scenes to investigate why an industry that struggles with its public image remains such an attractive career path for young people.

Part four of the series sees a range of established industry professionals and experienced agents give their opinions on the main issues regarding new entrants to the sector.

In 2013 it was reported by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) that one in four jobs created that year were in the property industry. Between April and June 2013, there were 25,000 jobs created in the sector. Of this number, a high proportion chose to enter the world of estate and letting agency. Some will have taken professional training whilst others learnt on the job from their superiors.

David Mills, partner in lettings at high-end London Agency W.A.Ellis, believes that a combination of both training and learning on the job garners the best results. In order to be a well-rounded, knowledgeable and professional agent, you need both professional training as well as a stable, supportive and team orientated work environment which enables you to learn on the job, he says.

At Bradleys, a 33 branch agency in the South West, Managing Director Francis Marshall is in agreement. He says that while knowledge of the industry is essential it becomes easier to apply that knowledge by doing the real thing'.

Home Counties agency Romans has devised its own in-house training programme which is split between external trainers and Romans' senior team members. A five-day induction is followed by a nine week programme including training on: customer service, processes and legislation, body language and even email etiquette. Residential Sales Director Antony Gibson believes by going through a tailored and agency-specific training programme, recruits can feel actively engaged and feel that we are valuing their future as much as they do'.

However, this type of training is in no way compulsory and for many members of the public, it is still surprising that there is no formal entry exam or qualification required to enter the industry. Kai Logan, Group Marketing Manager for Bradleys, believes that a compulsory qualification will help to ensure an industry minimum standard. David Mills agrees. In lettings, I think that the minimum entry requirement for new negotiators in any company should be the Technical Award in Residential Letting and Property Management by NFOPP, he says.

Meanwhile, industry stalwart of 25 years and Director of Waterfords estate agents, Darren Walter, points out that demand for a single recognised qualification is certainly there. It would be beneficial for agents to sit a compulsory exam after one year of training in order to continue practicing. This would raise industry standards and provide greater reassurance to those entering into the buying/selling process, he argues. A qualification of this type would perhaps keep turnover and dropout rates to a minimum as figures from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) show that 30% of vacancies in the property industry are due to skills shortages, compared to just 23% across all UK industries.

As explored by Chris Collins of Norfolk agency TW Gaze earlier in this series, it can be difficult for young agents to be taken seriously by older clients. Furthermore, with 20,000 individual sales and lettings offices in the UK (as reported by Rightmove and the Property Ombudsman) that's a lot of older and more experienced agents that are likely to curry favour with clients over their younger, fresh-faced counterparts. It can be difficult initially but it comes down to respect. It is that individual's job to build trust by fulfilling the duties required and expected by the client, says Darren Walter.

Romans' Operations Director Barry Wild thinks there is still an ageist attitude towards young agents from some customers. This is where, David Mills believes, the manager should step in by allocating long standing clients or clients who have specific needs to more experienced staff with whom they have a historic relationship'. He says that young and relatively inexperienced members of staff should learn how to interact with clients by following the example of their superiors and more experienced colleagues.

On the other hand, Lyn Fitzpatrick, Sales and Lettings negotiator at Keppie Massie Residential in the North West says it depends on the individual. If a young agent is willing to work hard then I see no reason for the difficulty with clients, she argues. Age doesn't have to be a barrier, it can be a real benefit, I love seeing younger people entering the industry and helping shape the future of property. Kai Logan shares a similar viewpoint. In the main, it comes down to the service that is provided and if the client receives a great service they are happy regardless of the age of that person, he adds.

For those who make it over the early obstacles and start to build relationships with clients, they can expect a trainee salary between £12,000 and £16,000 plus commission. The sales side to the job as well as a focus on commission is why so many young agents drop out of the industry after a short while, according to Darren Walter. A lot of young people come into the business thinking it offers a quick money fix through direct sales. The truth is we are first and foremost a service industry. Those fresh into the industry forget the continual high demand expected of them and the pressure there because of it, he says.

However, Lyn Fitzpatrick believes it is a combination of low starting salaries and long hours. Starting out in this industry can be hard. It is a very demanding job. On a normal day you could be liaising with sellers, contacting landlords, checking property conditions, heading to a viewing - it's non-stop.

For Antony Gibson of Romans, it is the role of the agency to support their young agents and help keep them in the industry for longer. Too often they are made promises that cannot be kept and the complaint I hear most is that an employer did not deliver on their side of the equation.

So the combination of agency support, high earnings to look forward to (Average On Target Earnings of £30k-£50k for a senior negotiator or valuer) and, as Lyn Fitzpatrick describes it, a rewarding role with huge scope for promotion', it's no wonder that the number of people working in the property industry reached an all-time high in 2013.

*Next week's part two will see these agents asked questions on technology, what's changed since they started out and what advice they would give to prospective agents.

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