WHITE-COLLAR REAL ESTATE JOBS IN CALCUTTA

If we aspire to be a developed nation by 2020, every family has to have a decent home in a healthy environment. But 60 years after Independence, many don’t even have an inch of space they can call their own, despite promises by the government.

However, house-building activities have got the required impetus during the past few years and a large section of the middle class, which so far only dreamt of owning homes, is now being able to afford apartments in spite of rising interest rates.

This real estate boom has also opened up job opportunities in the sector with a need for specialised education. Propertt looks at what it takes to land a real estate job.

Why real estate education?

The existing mega-crore projects in the sector will need a large number of professionals trained in various aspects of real estate development and the property market.

Already, there is a huge demand for professionals who can bring their expertise to different aspects of the industry like development and project management and handling of legal, financial or marketing matters. The reality is there is a huge vacuum of such professionals.

Foreign investors work on projected time frames. Every project has to be completed and marketed within a deadline. Trained professionals are needed to meet such deadlines.

What is the requirement of the industry in terms of trained manpower?

According to the Indian Infrastructure Report (1996), construction and related industries need nearly three million people, of which only 5 per cent are employed in the sector.

Hence, there is an opportunity for qualified people who not only have operational and soft skills but are also capable of providing managerial thought and strategic direction to such firms in India.

Which are the other streams from which real estate companies can hire people?

Most Indian real estate companies would need indigenously-trained manpower to handle emerging areas of expertise, such as portfolio management, research and retail. The industry also needs commercial property specialists, project managers, insurance professionals with real estate knowledge, international brokers and strategists.

All this primarily requires understanding of economics, society and technology.

What is the major problem that real estate companies face while hiring people from existing educational institutions?

Lack of soft skills is one major constraint among those seeking employment in real estate companies. Most companies require people to market the products where the role of soft skills is very important.

Also, soft skills play a major role when site engineers and project engineers interact with customers visiting project sites.

What can one do to acquire soft skills?

Various institutes have come up in Calcutta that impart such trainings. These institutes train people in improving their communication skills and proficiency in English, help them acquire confidence, presentation skills and salesmanship among others.

Which are the Calcutta-based institutes that offer a course in real estate management?

The Heritage Institute of Technology near EM Bypass has recently started a real estate management course along with apex industry body Credai. It is a six-month diploma course that covers every aspect of the sector, including project management, finance, marketing, legal issues pertaining to properties and income-tax.

The syllabus is designed to help students become real estate professionals or self-employed promoters or brokers.

NSHM Knowledge Campus, promoted by the SPS Group, Multicon and the Synergy Group, on B.L. Shah Road near Tollygunge also offers a course in real estate management.

What are the other options to acquire real estate education?

Various other Indian institutes, including some universities, have started real estate education.

Courses are also offered by many management institutes of Singapore, the US, the UK and Australia. One can look for their course contents and the procedure of admission on the Net.

Although their course content is different from what is offered by Indian institutes, the inputs could be of great help in finding employment in real estate companies here.