A Cromer local is proving it’s never too late to change careers, after switching from real estate to the booming property valuation industry. 

According to a report by IbisWorld, the property valuation industry is worth $586m in Australia annually and this figure is projected to grow over the next five years. 

51-year-old Adam Weight says now is the right time to join the industry, as more and more companies are taking advantage of low interest rates and seeking valuations of their current assets to buy more plant and equipment. 

“I enrolled in the Bachelor of Property Valuation at TAFE NSW Ultimo as I was looking for a change of pace after 25 years in the real estate industry. My kids were now grown up and I saw an opportunity to switch careers,” Mr Weight said.  

“The TAFE NSW course gave me the hands-on skills I needed to land a job as a property valuer of plant and machinery, a role which I’m really enjoying. I’m also looking to study a master’s degree at university and one day pass on my knowledge to others.” 

TAFE NSW Property Valuation Teacher Jon Frost, who has more than 20 years’ experience as a valuer, said the industry is crying out for skilled graduates. 

“Property valuation is a great industry to get into and about 80 per cent of graduates are working in the industry by the time they finish the degree. I get valuing firms coming to me regularly looking for students to recruit,” Mr Frost said. 

“It really is a fabulous job; you’re not stuck in an office, you’re out and about meeting people and there’s so much variety in the day-to-day work. The industry has an ageing workforce, so there’s never been a better time for people to study at TAFE NSW to get the skills they need for a job as a property valuer.”  

The degree is three years’ full-time and requires 24 units of study, including units in rural, commercial, and retail valuation, as well as law and town planning. It includes a mix of face-to-face and online learning connected classroom study.  

The Bachelor of Property Valuation is Australia’s only specialist property valuation degree and has been developed in consultation with the Office of the NSW Valuer General, the NSW Office of Fair Trading and the Australian Property Institute.   

To find out more about studying a Bachelor of Property Valuation at TAFE NSW, phone 13 16 01 or visit www.tafensw.edu.au.  

Media contact: Emma Woodward, Communications Specialist, emma.woodward15@tafensw.edu.au, 0409 618 291