If there has been one constant factor in the history of Paddocks, it must be the UCT (Law@Work) Sectional Title Scheme Management course. For the last six years, this course has driven the company’s growth, innovation and expansion into new areas. But where did it come from? How did everything start?
Back in the early 1980s, Professor Graham Paddock wrote the Sectional Title Handbook, which would later evolve into the Sectional Title Survival Manual. This book was the first and only accessible guide to the law of sectional titles in South Africa. It became immensely popular among sectional title owners and trustees because it provided a no-nonsense breakdown of the Sectional Titles Act.
By the start of the new millennium, Graham realised that while the Survival Manual was useful for understanding the daily affairs that affected owners, managing agents also needed a thorough reference guide to the more complex issues that arose. He also decided that there was too much material for just another book or for a short workshop. So Graham teamed up with the National Association of Managing Agents (NAMA) and UCT’s Faculty of Law, where he had lectured for many years, to create an intensive 6-month online course.
His son, Sam Paddock, assisted him in developing an online platform to deliver the courseware and his wife, Mandy, helped with administering the course. Graham hoped that 30 students would sign up; by the time the course began, in December 2005, over 160 were registered. The course lasted for six months, including a three-day workshop, and was accredited by UCT. And so, the course was born.
From that point, Paddocks grew in leaps and bounds – and all thanks to the UCT (Law@Work) Sectional Title Scheme Management course. The second presentation of the course introduced some more interactive elements and a slicker online platform. The company’s marketing took off when Robyn Allan joined. By the time Graham’s second son, Rob Paddock, joined the company in 2007, Paddocks was ready to expand its portfolio of courses. The Sectional Titles Online website was launched in 2007 to address the needs of past students and the sectional title community at large. A year later, GetSmarter was founded so that the successful online learning model could be expanded to cover topics outside of sectional title.
By 2009, the UCT (Law@Work) Sectional Title Scheme Management course had undergone several changes. Anton Kelly was brought on to assist in convening the course. A dedicated course coordination team was founded to run the administrative side. The three-day workshop was reduced to one day, but new interactive elements – video lectures, quizzes, games and forums – were added to the course website. Also, important updates in line with new legislative changes were made to the course material, to make sure that students received only the most relevant and accurate content. However, the core material and structure of the course remained consistent since the very beginning.
Since December 2005, Paddocks has trained over 1100 students on the UCT (Law@Work) Sectional Title Scheme Management course. This course, which made all of this growth and expansion possible, still regularly takes in at least 120 students every time. The next presentation – the tenth – promises to be better than ever. And it’s no surprise, judging by the experience, hard work and dedication that has gone in to making the UCT (Law@Work) Sectional Title Scheme Management course the industry-leading benchmark training program for sectional title scheme managers. The course is run twice a year and is even a requirement for portfolio managers of many managing agencies. Past students have also included trustees, unit owners, estate agents, attorneys, conveyancers, property developers, bankers, government officials and land surveyors. The UCT (Law@Work) Sectional Title Scheme Management course has a broad appeal for anyone involved, however loosely, in sectional title.
For further details regarding this course please contact Kate on 021 685 4775 or kate@paddocks.co.za. Alternatively, go to www.paddocks.co.za
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