Changes Coming to REALTOR® Professional Development

One step closer to a new professional development framework

BC's REALTORS® are one step closer to a new framework for professional development that is more flexible and REALTOR®-focused. On March 26, the leadership of the province's 11 real estate boards and the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) approved a new framework that will recognize self-directed learning, as well as accredited courses.

With a tentative implementation date of January 1, 2020, the revamped Professional Development Program (PDP) will recognize your hours of professional development rather than provide you credits for completing courses, which has been the approach since the PDP was launched in 2006.

"The new professional development framework will give REALTORS® more choice in pursuing education while underscoring the value of the REALTOR® brand," says BCREA Chief Executive Officer Darlene Hyde. "We look forward to engaging with REALTORS® more in the coming weeks to hear their questions and thoughts as we plan for a smooth transition."

How would it work?
BC REALTORS® would need to complete 18 hours of professional development within their two-year licensing cycle. Twelve of these hours would be completed through PDP-accredited courses that would better meet REALTOR® needs. You'd have the flexibility to complete the remaining six hours through self-directed learning. Some possibilities could include in-brokerage learning, conferences or professional learning outside organized real estate. This means you will be able to get credit for some of the learning you already do.

To help ensure a smooth transition, the boards and BCREA agreed that any PDP credits REALTORS® have earned as of December 31, 2019 will be directly converted to accredited hours under the new framework.

Under the new model, education required to re-license with the Real Estate Council of BC, such as Legal Update, would not be PDP accredited. This is driven from the Council's desire to separate their Relicensing Education Program from our Professional Development Program.v

"This new PDP framework separates mandatory licensing education for all real estate licensees from the commitment to lifelong learning and higher professional standards that distinguishes REALTORS®," says Hyde. "Shaped by your input through a provincewide survey and focus groups, the contemplated framework recognizes learning doesn't just happen in a classroom."

What happens next?
Our focus now is to more deeply engage with you about this new framework and ensure you're informed well in advance of the planned transition, starting with two virtual townhalls planned for May 2 and May 9.

We'll be sharing more details, including the exact time and how to join these online townhall sessions, in the coming days. The aim is to give you a forum to ask questions, share concerns and get responses in real-time. We'll use what we learn through your participation to finetune the framework and plan for a smooth transition with minimal disruption for REALTORS®.

In the meantime, if you have questions about the new PDP framework, please contact your local real estate board or BCREA.

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