by Paul Jager

With so many property agents for the public to choose from, how do you separate yourself from the pack?

One of the most obvious ways is to become a qualified property agent and promote this to prospective customers.

The National Federation of Property Professionals, for example, has plenty of qualifications to choose from in every area of the industry. Finding time to study, though, can be difficult.

As a profession we work long hours. So, what to do if you want a qualification but your time is at a premium?

Attending workshops has always been a popular route for training. Face to face training is the preferred learning style for many. However, it isn’t for everyone.

For property agents in particular, time away from the office can impact their business. There is also the problem of having to attend at a specific time which may clash with other important tasks.

So, if workshop training brings challenges for the learner, there is another option: distance learning.

As the name suggests, this involves ‘learning’ from a remote location without the need to attend workshops.

This type of education has many other names and many varieties – e-learning, flexible learning and blended learning being the three most popular terms.

But they all have one thing in common – not relying on just the classroom to impart knowledge. Instead the programme is likely to comprise a mixture of study aids including digital and/or printed workbooks and materials, and interactive online components.

If you’re keen to study for a qualification, is distance learning right for you?

Here are the top five reasons for choosing this method of training:

• There is no need to leave the office for workshops. So, no more trying to rearrange your schedule so you can be absent for the day.
• With no travel needed out of the office for your studies, costs and the time spent organising the trip are saved.
• Where to study is flexible. It could be undertaken in front of a computer screen in an office or home. Better still, with the rise in popularity of tablets and wi-fi availability, studying on the go is now becoming a genuine reality. Even where the material is in a conventional printed format, if organised in the right way, this too will be portable.
• Because course material is available online for distance learning, it is available 24/7. Want to study late at night or early in the morning before work? No problem. Whatever your lifestyle or commitments, distance learning can be a way to fit it into the busiest of schedules.
• The pace of study is in your hands. You’re not led by a trainer having to complete a subject area in a certain amount of time. You take the time you need (within any time constraints of the programme itself).

Whether you decide on workshop training or distance learning, most important is to choose a provider that meets your content needs and has the necessary level of skill and experience. Those of you who have avoided studying because of busy workloads do have a viable alternative in distance learning.

Now there’s no excuse for not starting, studying and passing a property qualification.

For more details on how distance learning can help you, call MOL on 0161 203 2103 or go to the website

* Paul Jager is head of the property division at MOL