With respect to nationally recognised accredited units of competency, the Real Estate Institute of Victoria, as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) is obliged per legislation to recognise units and qualifications granted by other RTOs across Australia. Similarly, other RTOs are obliged to recognise the validity of current accredited units of competency granted by the REIV.
For the student, this most frequently means that we allow for credit transfers of units assessed as ‘competent’ at other RTOs. For example, a student interested in enrolling in the Certificate IV in Property Services with us but already in possession of the current version of the three so-called Agent’s Representative units, will receive recognition of those three units as credit transfers and will then be required to enrol only in the remaining 21 units. This is provided that the codes are a match to the current industry-endorsed unit.
This is our obligation as a Registered Training Organisation. However, the REIV grants the qualification and it is the Business Licensing Authority which grants an Estate Agent’s License. It is therefore in our duty of care to our current and prospective students to point out this distinction but also to highlight that there are indeed differences in real estate legislation and practice from state to state, simply because estate agent licensing is a state, rather than Commonwealth, responsibility. In other words, what you, the student, may have learned in unit CPPDSM4008 (Identify Legal and Ethical Requirements of Property Sales to Complete Agency Work) in another state may not fully align with legislation and practice in Victoria.
Therefore, for students seeking a credit transfer from an interstate RTO towards our Certificate IV in Property Services, we will of course recognise the validity of your unit(s) of competency, but we strongly recommend (in the spirit of concern for your own success as a future practicing estate agent in Victoria) to familiarise yourself with those performance criteria in credit transfer units of competency which may reference or uphold legislation specific to Victoria.
Should you have any questions on your options within the mutual recognition scheme, please contact the Training Department at 9205 6666 or per [email protected].