Forty Curtin property students took part in a speed-dating-style event with property industry leaders to get insider knowledge on the state of the property industry and on securing employment.
Aptly titled “Meet the Property Leaders” the event, which took place in May, hosted nine property leaders who answered questions and shared their experiences over several fifteen-minute timed segments.
The event was organised by Curtin senior lecturer J-Han Ho and run in collaboration with the Property Education Foundation (PEF), an entity that plays a key role in promoting and advancing education in Western Australia.
The PEF have funded 28 scholarships and prizes to Curtin students as well as co-hosting industry events, training and sponsorships.
Industry leaders came from businesses in property development, planning and valuation, and included high-profile property movers CEO Primewest Julian Lodge and General Manager of Stockland WA Col Dutton as well as Chair of the Property Education Foundation, Joe Lenzo.
To prepare for the event and for the networking opportunities, students attended a bespoke professional networking seminar and received training on appropriate attire, body language, researching discussion topics, and critically analysing questions and answers.
Their diligence paid off, with positive feedback from industry leaders on the students’ professionalism, market knowledge and high level of enthusiasm.
In turn, the students expressed their appeciation of the leaders’ contribution and felt greatly encouraged by the support shown to them during the event. Some students were invited to visit the leaders’ place of business to expand their knowledge and understanding of the industry.
The PEF and Curtin’s School of Economics and Finance plan to build on the success of the event by staging another in 2018 that has more real estate related disciplines, and could become the largest property education event in Western Australia.
