Build your team through traineeships

18 November 2025

Making sure your trainees have the right skills can play a critical role not only in their development, but also in their loyalty to your business.

Finding a good entry-level employee in real estate can be challenging – and, once you’ve chosen someone, the next critical step is to make sure they have the right skills to ensure they help to improve your business and feel fulfilled in their work.

This is where traineeships come into their own, as they offer both the trainee and employer a range of benefits.

“As an employer, it’s great to be in a position to provide someone with the opportunity to start a new career,” REINSW General Manager Aaron Barber said. “With a traineeship, where the trainee is working and studying at the same time, the learning experience becomes so much more meaningful because the theory can be put into practice on the job.”

Benefits of traineeships

One of the biggest benefits is giving your trainee the chance to improve their skills by attaining a nationally accredited qualification.

“This helps to increase their productivity by making them better equipped to meet your business needs,” Aaron said. “As a result, you’ll be offering a better service to your clients and will also be growing your employee’s confidence, because they feel comfortable and confident in their ability.

“Real estate has a high turnover of new staff. By offering a new employee a traineeship, this will encourage them to stay with you because you’re investing in their future.

“Financial incentives from the Federal Government are also available to the agency and the course itself is subsidised by the NSW Government.”

REINSW offers the following traineeships:

• CPP31519 Certificate III in Real Estate Practice is undertaken over 12 months full time or 24 months part time. Upon completion, the trainee may apply to NSW Fair Trading for a Certificate of Registration.
• CPP41419 Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice is undertaken over 24 months full time or 48 months part time. This traineeship allows the trainee, upon completion, to apply to NSW Fair Trading for a Class 2 Real Estate Licence.

“Both the Certificate III and Certificate IV provide trainees with comprehensive training to equip them with the necessary skills, however the latter offers a broader and deeper understanding,” Aaron explained.

School-based traineeship programs

School-based traineeships are another option

“Real estate agencies can invest in the future of the real estate industry by taking on a school-based trainee,” Aaron said. “The program is designed to help students who are keen to join the workforce, but who still want to complete their senior schooling.

“The traineeship means the student can gain an industry-recognised qualification, credit toward their HSC and work placement that allows them to learn a vocation.

“While undertaking the HSC, your trainee will undertake a combination of industry-specialised training and one day per week in your paid employment.”

Aaron said that a school-based traineeship is a great way to help a young person kick-start their career in the real estate industry and also provide your agency with an additional resource.

“For you, training costs are minimised, and financial incentives make school-based traineeships an attractive employment option,” he explained.

“We recommend that agencies call us to discuss what they need from a trainee, so we can advise which traineeship is most suitable and discuss eligibility criteria.”

Talk to the team at REINSW about the traineeships options that best suit your business