Mentorship programme set to give Property Valuation Profession a boost

The profession needs proactive development initiatives which appeal to our young South Africans says Lerato Pooe, General Manager of the South African Institute of Valuers (SAIV)

The South African Institute of Valuers (SAIV) has announced that applications are open for their 2022 Mentorship Programme, from 7 March until 30 April 2022.

The mentorship programme, now in its third year, aims to match young valuers with accredited professionals and open new personal and professional development pathways.

The property valuation profession is vital to ensuring open market value and helping consumers and businesses alike to navigate increasingly complex property trends. However, in recent years, the SAIV has been concerned by the aging profession which seems to retain few young people. “The profession needs proactive development initiatives which appeal to our young South Africans,” comments Lerato Pooe, SAIV General Manager.

The SAIV looks after the interests of property valuers and the local property valuation profession and, as such, has identified that mentorship of young professionals is vital. “Mentorship has shown to boost confidence, performance and engagement with the wider profession. With this in mind, we are excited to open enrolment for the intake of new mentees in this year’s mentorship programme.  As with any new programme in its infancy, the mentorship programme has been met with obstacles however, it has also yielded some incredible results which will strengthen the programme.”

The mentorship programme was designed to overcome challenges in the valuation profession, specifically the difficulty in finding mentors for valuation graduates who for example, would need to fulfil the pre-requisite of having a mentor in order to apply as a Candidate Valuer with the South African Council for the Property Valuers Profession (SACPVP) – a huge stepping stone into establishing your career in the valuation profession. Applications for the programme often exceeds capacity. Applicants need to be members of the SAIV and fall either within the categories of “student member” or “student member unemployed”. The latter category includes persons who do not earn any form of income –  who can be students or graduates alike.

The programme is run by SAIV Branch Executives who provide mentorship on a voluntary basis and are registered with the SACPVP. The programme comprises regular workshops which are held with a focus on theoretical and practical content. Mentees produce reports that are assessed and signed off by the mentors once a required standard of proficiency has been met. “We believe this can be a career changing-benefit for the mentees that can significantly improve their skills and knowledge base. Mentees gain proven experience that will assist them in their preparations to write the SACPVP Board Exam to qualify as professionals, while also providing them with networking opportunities for their careers” explains Pooe.

Over and above that, the valuation industry and its clients will benefit from the input of an enlarged, trained body of professionals. “The success of this programme is largely due to the selfless people who are acting as mentors, who are committed to seeing advancement in the valuation profession. We must also commend the commitment of the mentees who desire a career in property valuation. A concerted effort needs to be made by all industry bodies to ensure that mentees are retained in the profession by having sufficient employment for them,” Pooe concludes.

Commenting on her experience in the Mentorship Programme, Slindile Mpontshane says she signed up because she believes the programme provides a structured opportunity to be adequately trained in preparation for the Board Exams, and thus to be registered as a Professional Associated Valuer and ultimately a Professional Valuer. “Through the mentorship program, I have been able to expand my professional network with my peers, and with other Property Valuers in different sectors. It has also broadened my understanding of the field; through the attendance of SAIV annual seminars,” she stated.