CAREER PROSPECTS OF ESTATE MANAGEMENT STUDY

Before gaining admission into universities/polytechnics of higher learning, it is very important for all prospective undergraduate students to first and foremost carry out a feasibility study about the career prospects/benefits of the various courses they intend studying. In so doing, it will greatly help them in choosing the right courses to study at the various institutions of higher learning. 

The career prospects of estate management study is more than estate agency work as most people assumed it to be in Nigeria, because estate management study as a course, is a multi-facet discipline that covers all areas relating to the direction and supervision of land and landed properties with the so aim of securing an optimum return which could be more than just monetary gains but other group of benefits such as psychological, social and economic gains. 

What this indicates is that the professional services of estate management graduates in the labour market and society at large is inevitable because man’s existence on earth has a strong attachment (spiritual and carnal) to land and landed properties for his survival, shelter and wellbeing.

It is based on the above statement that I have decided to write this post in order to identify and explain some of the various areas/industries where graduates of estate management study can take up employment opportunities. 

My other reason is to help prospective undergraduate students choose a career path wisely.

Some of the areas/industries where graduates of estate management study can take up employment opportunities in the society and labour market are:

·         Professional real estate firms

·         Local government authority

·         Banks and financial institutions

·         Oil and gas companies

·         Federal and State government agencies

·         Mortgage institutions

·         Law courts

·         Property investment and development companies

·         Corporate organizations

·         Property management companies

PROFESSIONAL REGISTERED REAL ESTATE FIRMS: The first and major area where graduates of estate management study can take up employment opportunities is the professional registered real estate firms that have been elected into the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyor and Valuers (NIESV), licensed and registered by the Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON) to carry out estate surveying and valuation activities. 

The various posts which graduates of estate management study can hold in this type of professional registered real estate firms includes: Estate officer, Estate surveyor, property manager, facility manager, valuation officer, estate agency surveyor, project officer/supervisor, project manager, appraisal officer/manager, maintenance officer, land valuer, property auctioneer, property developer, arbitrator, etc.

The various posts to hold will be largely based on such graduate's year of graduation, professional qualification, skills and competences, as well as years of experience.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY: Another area where graduates of estate management study can gain employment is the various local government authorities spread across the country. 

The post they can take up while working at the local government authorities includes: property rating valuer, rating officer, property accessing officers, project managers, land officer, project supervisor/officers, property inspection officer, property valuation officer.

BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS: Banks and financial institutions are both organizations that keep monies and valuables for all categories of people. They also serve as a safe haven to people looking for money to execute specific projects that are capital intensive but are short of it. 

Graduates of estate management study can also gain employment opportunities in this sector either as an in-house property valuer, maintenance officer, property and facility manager, project manager/officer, property collateral adviser, land officer or bank premises manager.

OIL AND GAS COMPANIES: Estate management graduates can also take up employment opportunities in the oil and gas sector as a facility/asset manager, real estate project manager/ officer, property manager, maintenance officer, real estate contracts officer.

FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES: These two arms of government are the largest employer of labour in any country or society. There exists various employment opportunities for successful graduates of estate management study in any of these of arms of government. 

The various areas where graduates of estate management study can find employment opportunities in any of these two arms of government are: ministry of works and housing, land bureau, ministry of works and infrastructures, national ports authority, railway corporation, new town development authority, asset management corporation, bureau of public enterprise, etc.

The various positions which estate management graduates can hold in any of these government agencies includes: facility/asset maintenance officer, land officer, property manager, estate surveyor and valuer, facility manager, project manager/supervisor, estate manager, property auctioneer, property agent, etc.

MORTGAGE INSTITUTIONS: This is another major industry where estate management graduates can gain employment. This is so, because mortgage institutions are specialized financial organizations focusing on granting people loans for home ownership, as well as mobilization of funds for mass residential housing schemes in the country for medium and low income earners.

The types of employment opportunities available for estate management graduates are: loan assessment officer, housing development co-coordinator, estate surveyor and valuer, property manager, project supervisor/manager, premises manager, etc.

LAW COURTS: Many people will find it amusing to believe that there exists employment opportunities for estate management graduates in various law courts. There are many areas where graduates of estate management can work in the law courts, most of which specifically relate to land and landed properties’ disputes. 

Estate management graduates can work either as an expert witness, arbitrator/mediator, estate valuer or member of a tribunal/panel for the court in any matter relating to land and landed properties’ disputes.

PROPERTY INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES: There is mass shortage in the provision of residential accommodations for people in Nigeria. It is because of the loophole in the scarcity of accommodation needs that different property investment and development companies (both private and public alike) are specifically established in order to acquire large tracts of land for development of various classes of residential properties for accommodation purposes. 

An estate management graduate can work in any property investment and development company (private or public) either as a property developer, project manager/officer, estate/property marketer, estate manager, property/facility manager, project appraisal, estate surveyor and valuer, or construction project supervisor/officer.

CORPORATE ORGANISATIONS: Various organizations (private, multi-national, manufacturing and production, etc) also provide employment opportunities for estate management graduates in their set-ups depending on the work force, organizational settings and activities been carried out.

The various employment positions opened to estate management graduate in corporate organizations includes: facility manager, property manager, premises manager, maintenance officer, estate surveyor and valuer, appraisal, etc.   

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES: There are some licensed property management companies that have registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as a limited liability company based on share capital, to carry out business activities relating to property management, property development and construction, real estate agency and facility management, etc.

Companies in this category mainly employ estate management graduates to take up various positions relating to the business activities they carry out within their organisation.

Some of the employment opportunities that exist for estate management graduates in various property management companies are: property manager, estate agent, facility manager/officer, maintenance officer, real estate marketer, estate officer, etc.

There various designation and titles of estate management graduates irrespective of the industry they are employed includes:

·         Estate Surveyor and Valuer

·         Property manager

·         Facility manager

·         Real estate marketer

·         Maintenance officer/manager

·         Project manager

·         Project coordinator/supervisor

·         Property developer

·         Estate manager/officer

·         Rating valuer/officer

·         Premises manager

·         Project appraisal

·         Construction project supervisor/officer

·         Expert witness

·         Property arbitrator/mediator

·         Property auctioneer

·         Housing development supervisor/coordinator

·         Real estate contract officer

·         Property inspection officer

·         Land valuer

·         Property assessor

·         Property valuation officer/manager

At this juncture, I believe you will agree with me that the career prospects of estate management study spreads across every facet of the economy, labour market and society at large.

ABOUT ME

I am a Higher National Diploma (HND) holder of Estate Management from the prestigious Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos state, Nigeria. I also possess a Professional Practice Certificate in Estate Surveying and Valuation from the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV).

I am the principal consultant of Aakient Consultants Ltd, a highly progressive and consolidated property and construction project management company, which is committed to providing the highest level of professionalism and services in meeting clients’ real estate needs.

Feel free to contact me at: aakientconsultants@gmail.com