FROM THE PRESIDENT
SCOTT KIRKWOOD | GRIFFIS BLESSING
Education: Bring it "H.O.M.E."
W
e all have been dealing with
current unemployment rates that
are at an all-time low across the
country and the Denver metropolitan area.
Finding good people has become one of the
industry’s greatest priorities.
The challenges and cost to recruit
qualified talent are ever increasing. This
means we have to build our teams from
the ground up and retain them at all costs.
Successful companies have an employee
development plan and training regimen.
Quality training programs show employees
that we care about their future.
Not only do we get more productive
team members through training, it has
become an integral part of employee
retention. Education and training are core
principles with our partner in training
the Apartment Association of Metro
Denver. An example is the new Hands On
Maintenance Education (HOME) room
now in place. The room is stocked with
several staging areas including appliance,
plumbing and electrical repair. The
HOME room is something everyone should
see so please take the time to walk through
the next time you are in the AAMD office.
Additionally, the Maintenance
Apprenticeship Program (MAP) has been
a great conduit for new recruits to the
industry. The program has evolved over
time and now requires sponsorship which
costs about the same as other forms
of recruiting.
Since its inception in 2017, MAP has
trained over 150 students with more than
100 associates now working in the industry.
AAMD is preparing to launch an all
new Property Management Apprenticeship
in partnership with Arapahoe Community
College (ACC). This program will take
6 | TRENDS JANUARY 2020
entry level leasing professionals and train
them through on-the job training and
related technical instruction through ACC.
The goal is to prepare students for an
Assistant or Community Manager role at
the completion of the program.
AAMD has developed a series of
training modules designed to create value
to all levels of apartment management.
There is a seminar series that includes Fair
Housing, Leasing Boot Camp, Asbestos
Awareness, Sales and Marketing, CPO,
Apartment All Stars and much more!
The designation series offers the following
National Apartment Association Education
Institute (NAAEI) designations: Certified
Apartment Portfolio Supervisor (CAPS),
Certified Apartment Manager (CAM),
National Apartment Leasing Professional
(NALP), and Certificate for Apartment
Maintenance Technicians (CAMT). In
partnership with the National Apartment
Association Education Institute (NAAEI)
and Grace Hill, AAMD members now
have access to Visto where more than 100
online courses and webinars are available in
English and Spanish. The Supplier Partner
series features Keys to Supplier Success,
Suppliers’ Council forums and the Certified
Apartment Supplier (CAS).
No matter what your training needs
are, the association is here to partner with
you. Please check out the Spring Education
listing and our feature article on the new
HOME Room for more information, and
visit AAMD’s website to get registered for
AAMD’s great education offerings!
www.aamdhq.org