The objective of the Nedbank Corporate Property Finance Valuations Academy is to grow previously-disadvantaged graduates to the position of registered qualified professional property valuers.  The academy offers successful candidates bursaries to further their studies and exposes them to detailed on-the-job training, including actual property valuations and revaluing Nedbank’s existing property portfolio.

“Meeting the increasing legislative requirements has placed pressure on the property industry and subsequently, the role which property valuers fulfil has become a vital one.  Nedbank Corporate Property Finance is proud to be providing the applicants of the academy with the necessary skills to contribute meaningfully to the industry as a whole,” says Frank Berkeley, managing director of Nedbank Corporate Property Finance.

Through a stringent interview process, seven academy members have been selected for the first intake and will commence contracts with Nedbank Corporate Property Finance on 2 January 2007.

According to Sagren Subramanien, Nedbank Corporate’s representative heading the academy, the intention behind the academy is to give previously disadvantaged individuals the opportunity to become professionals while at the same time addressing a severe shortage of qualified property valuers in the industry.

“All regions in which we operate have been finding it increasingly difficult to recruit appropriately qualified black property valuers with the relevant experience levels.  It is anticipated that the academy will overcome this by employing graduates with little or no experience in valuations, banking or property and give them the grounding necessary for our industry, ” says Surbramanien.