After working as a real estate salesperson for almost a decade, Suzanne MacLean, wanted to take her career with Barfoot & Thompson to the next level, so she enrolled in the National Diploma in Real Estate (Agent) (Level 5) through the Open Polytechnic.
The unique blend of distance and contact learning appealed to Suzanne, who wanted study that would fit around her full time work and family commitments.
Suzanne has now graduated from her qualification and says attending her graduation ceremony recently in Auckland was a highlight of her studies.
Since completing her qualification, Suzanne has also had a promotion through her work.
“Since finishing my study with Open Polytechnic, I’ve been promoted to the position of Branch Manager for Barfoot & Thompsons Highland Park Branch in Auckland. I am very grateful that my studies have opened up new doors for me professionally,” she says.
Suzanne felt that the National Diploma in Real Estate offered by Open Polytechnic is highly relevant to the work she does every day. “As well as my recent promotion, my studies gave me a broad and solid understanding of the real estate industry, the REAA (Real Estate Agents Authority) and the legal requirements for real estate.”
One of the biggest benefits from this style of learning for Real Estate for Suzanne was the opportunity to meet others like her, and to build a strong business and study support network. “The mix of classes and distance learning really suited me. As well as the flexibility of distance, I had contact classes with other Open Polytechnic real estate students who were all in the same situation as me, working and studying to become Real Estate Agents. We could get in touch with each other outside of our classes, which meant I had a great support network, as well as an excellent professional network.”
The tutors at Open Polytechnic were a great help to Suzanne while she studied. “They were brilliant to deal with, prompt, knowledgeable and very, very supportive. I could contact them by phone or email, and would know I would get a response quickly.”
As well as the help and support Suzanne had from Open Polytechnic and her fellow students, Suzanne had the backing of her employer and family throughout her studies. “Both my husband and my employer, Barfoot & Thompson, have always been very supportive of my studies. My husband also works in real estate and helped me immeasurably while I studied; doing what he could to help me.”
Now that Suzanne has finished her diploma, she is looking forward to a well-earned break in Hawaii, but might return to studying in the future. “I think it’s important to keep on studying and learning to enrich our minds, and I really enjoy it. I might look at something like Business Management down the track. For Real Estate, it’s important to keep up to date with training, as the industry is constantly changing, so my studies have really helped me to keep up with the play.”
For anyone thinking about study, Suzanne says “study isn’t a chore, and don’t think you have to give up work to be able to do it, as it can be as flexible as you like to fit around your life. So just do it, and embrace it.”
As well as my recent promotion, my studies gave me a broad and solid understanding of the real estate industry, the REAA (Real Estate Agents Authority) and the legal requirements for real estate.