MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama Association of REALTORS® (AAR) is seeking to increase diversity in the industry by partnering with Alabama State University to offer students a “microcredential” in real estate.
No college education is required to get a salesperson or broker license in Alabama, but the Alabama Real Estate Commission does state on its website that an exam must be passed to obtain each license, and training courses are required both before and after receiving a real estate license.
The association said Wednesday that this is the first time a state REALTOR® organization and a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) have come together to build a program like this.
“The goal of the program is to equip students with a deep understanding of the real estate industry as a whole, empower students with the knowledge to pursue careers in real estate-related fields, and instill the importance of homeownership,” said Alabama REALTORS® Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Walker. “Together, we can work to increase diversity in real estate-related fields, promote minority homeownership, and help close the wealth gap in Alabama.”
The new curriculum will cover all aspects of the real estate business as well as education in home ownership and internship opportunities in the field.
“From hands-on experience to homeownership outreach, we hope the students will walk away with skills they can use in all aspects of life, not just in their career,” said Alabama REALTORS® President Wes Grant.
Walker and Grant were both present alongside ASU President Dr. Quinton Ross and other important figures from each organization on Wednesday as they announced and signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the partnership.