More than 25 Humber Polytechnic students in the Real Estate Salesperson program came together on December 7 to stir their creative minds at the Re/Max Experts Pitch Competition.
The event - made possible through a donation from Mike Squadrilla, broker of record at Re/Max Experts - marks the first pitch competition to take place for Humber Continuous Professional Learning learners and students enrolled in the Real Estate Salesperson program.
In addition to hosting the competition, Re/Max Experts also established the Re/Max Experts Emerging Leaders Scholarships. Awarded to 10 deserving learners each year for the next two academic years, Re/Max Experts Scholarships recognize learners who are in good academic standing. Preference will be given to learners who reside in York Region.
"We are thrilled to partner with Humber Polytechnic, a leading institution in real estate education," said Squadrilla. "This collaboration represents an incredible opportunity to nurture the next generation of real estate professionals. By combining their innovative training with our commitment to mentorship and career growth, we envision a bright future for realtors entering the industry. Together, we're not just building careers we're building success stories."
The challenge tasked participants with developing a comprehensive marketing strategy for a newly designed intergenerational living community. The concept revolved around promoting the benefits of shared living among different age groups, aiming to create solutions that bridge generational gaps and improve housing and communities for Ontario's next generation of homeowners.
Each team presented their strategies to a panel of industry experts, which included senior Re/Max executives, members of the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board, the Real Estate Council of Ontario and the Ontario Real Estate Association.
The winning team, Whole Home Generations, took home the grand prize of $1,500 each. They used their lived experiences and market research to pitch a unique home design that accommodates both shared and private spaces for seniors and children.
"We are so proud of the real estate salesperson program learners, their engagement and commitment to the tasks," said Erin Gray, associate dean, Program Delivery, Education & Training Solutions. "Since part-time and continuing professional learning learners typically don't get the opportunity to participate in competitions like this, the event gave them the opportunity to connect with one another, demonstrate their skills and have a bit of fun as well."
The feedback from the event was positive with the potential of making the pitch competition an annual event.
Humber's Real Estate Salesperson Program is part of Education and Training Solutions, which worked in collaboration with the Longo Centre for Entrepreneurship to hold this event. The Centre is supported by Experience Ventures and the Government of Canada to deliver hackathons and challenges that help learners develop their entrepreneurial thinking skills, build networks and make an impact, addressing today's needs and tomorrow's challenges.
