Need Help
 

I posted below an update to what is happening today - and basically I need to rewrite the training plan and have the employer sign it off.

We did what we thought was a good one before - when I talked to him last night Ron said if it had to be redone he is happy to let me go for it myself this time and have him sign it off since he is out of the office most of this week and just wants to get things done as quickly as possible and openly admits he is no good at this stuff. :rolleyes:

So basically I am wondering if there is anyone who could have a look over what we submitted and see where we went wrong.

The guidelines they have given me to what they are looking for is Department / Area and how long in each for, tasks and activities, the objectives of each training segment etc. Seems straightforward yeah - but that's what we stuck to before and it got turned down.

They also want to know what methods will the company use to provide on the job training - we said supervision by other staff who would impart their knowledge to me, external computer training etc - that got failed too.

They also want to know what skills and knowledge will I require during the exchange and how will the before mentioned methods achieve this. I think its perhaps just a case of neither of us really knowing how to word things in a satisfactory way. They've never done this before and neither have I.

Well just have to have a damn good go at it today! Course it has to be the day that I am up to my eyes in it at work! :p

Lesley, I'd be more than happy to look over it for you. Do you want to post it or email it to me? When would you need it back by?

Thanks :D
 

Well I haven't started the new one yet because I am trying to get an idea of where we went wrong on the old one - I still think it seems like "training" but they think its like a job ad and very clear that in their eyes it doesnt form an internship.

I guess you know what the example training plan looks like already huh?

This is what he completed on the one that was turned down:-



The trainee will be receiving full and comprehensive training on each of the following areas and this will, throughout each area, impart extensive knowledge of the real estate procedures, culminating in the knowledge required to carry out initially, various portions of the transaction, eventually gaining the knowledge required to carry out a transaction from commencement to closing. This will be a continual learning curve and the following items will be covered and taught during the course of the internship at various stages of the transactions, and will not be restricted to a certain time period as it is very much an ongoing process that will require continual assessment to ascertain the trainee's knowledge and level of expertise throughout the internship, although an assessment of a time period to learn thoroughly each aspect has been estimated.

The training plan is such that the trainee will be enabled to learn all aspects of real estate law or transactions. The trainee will learn the ropes of a real estate law practice by the completion of this program. She will learn substantive legal concepts, transaction procedures, practice customs and tips and become familiar with many real estate law forms. The goal of the program/internship is to give you the intern the tools and information to become a successful paralegal / closer who can be of great help to a real estate lawyer or indeed any lawyer with the base of knowledge the trainee will learn.

The ultimate goal is for the trainee/intern to develop competencies for continued progress into the legal field as a paralegal who can perform effectively, and internationally, as a part of a legal services team.

Principles of Real Estate 10 weeks

Shall include but not be limited to an overview of licensing as a real estate broker and salesperson, ethics of practice, titles to and conveyancing of real estate, legal descriptions, deeds encumbrances and liens, distinctions between personal and real property, appraisal, finance and regulations, closing procedures, real estate mathematics , and at least three classroom hours of instruction on federal, state, and local laws relating to housing discrimination, housing credit discrimination, and community reinvestment.

Laws of Agency 10 weeks

Shall include but not be limited to the principal-agent and master- servant relationships, the authority of an agent, the termination of an agent's authority, the fiduciary and other duties of an agent, employment law, deceptive trade practices, listing or buying representation procedures, and the disclosure of agency.

Law of Contracts 10 weeks

Shall include but not be limited to the elements of a contract, offer and acceptance, the statute of frauds, specific performance and remedies for breach, unauthorized practice of law, commission rules relating to use of adopted forms, and owner disclosure requirements.

Real Estate Appraisal 6 weeks

Shall include but not be limited to the central purposes and functions of an appraisal, social and economic determinant of value, appraisal case studies, cost, market data and income approaches to value estimates, final correlations, and reporting

Real Estate Law 12 weeks

Shall include but not be limited to legal concepts of real estate, land description, real property rights and estates in land, contracts, conveyances, encumbrances, foreclosures, recording procedures, and evidence of titles

Real Estate Finance 6 weeks

Shall include but not be limited to monetary systems, primary and secondary money markets, sources of mortgage loans, federal government programs, loan applications, processes and procedures, closing costs, alternative financial instruments, equal credit opportunity acts, community reinvestment act, and state housing agency.

Real Estate Marketing 12 weeks

Shall include but not be limited to real estate professionalism and ethics, characteristics of successful salesperson, time management, psychology of marketing, listing procedures, advertising, negotiating and closing, financing, and the Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act, as amended, Section 17.01 et seq., Business & Commerce Code.

Real Estate Mathematics 12 weeks

Shall include but not be limited to basic arithmetic skills and review of mathematical logic, percentages, interest, time-valued money, depreciation, amortization, proration, and estimation of closing statements.


Throughout the above training, the knowledge obtained will allow the trainee to learn to complete all necessary documents involved in all real estate transactions and to prepare all histories of title so that the attorney may certify the title and complete closing.

We also included all this too : - Now I don't expect you to read all this obviously LOL :p but I just am not sure how they can say we didnt provide enough training detail!

Though I am now looking at the examples and seeing it broken down in a rather more straightforward manner such as - Department - Front Desk, Time - 3 Months, Duties - Answering phone, reservations blah blah - Objective - Develop a managerial perspective on how to run this department. Man it's gonna be a long day to trawl thru all this stuff!

The trainee will learn the settlement procedure in depth which largely revolves around the Settlement Statement, which shows how all of the settlement funds are to be handled and the trainee will have to learn to be able to independently draft this. The trainee will learn that a HUD1 Settlement Statement most commonly used in all Real Estate Transactions has to be commenced with the trainee learning to break down of all the costs involved in the closing. She will learn to separate as to if it is a buyer’s expense or the seller’s expense. The trainee will spend a large amount of time learning the complex process which leads up to the completion of this highly important document.

The trainee will also learn income audits on a daily basis, preparation of other financial statements, learn the company in house check issuance procedure and liaise with banks, other mortgage lenders and clients while learning this process and culminating in an extensive knowledge of the procedure and being able to deal with clients and explain the procedure to them.

Trainee will learn about escrow accounts, the reason for using them and how to deal with same on a daily basis.

Trainee will learn about commission paid to realtors and other parties, about the meaning of and a comprehensive knowledge of loan description fees, mortgage types, discount points, appraisals, credit reports, lender's inspection fees, mortgage insurance, tax service fees, insurance premiums.

Trainee will ultimately learn the thorough process of a residential purchase and a residential sale, and be able to carry out all the relevant procedures, laws and rules to settle the transactions expeditiously and thoroughly for the clients.

The Trainee will learn how to begin, carry through and finally, conclude a closing. This will involve the trainee learning to coordinate who should be there and at what time and learn the legal procedures necessary to allow this to happen. The Trainee will learn that about Escrow Closing (where The Seller may sign all his/her documents at a different time than the buyer) in great detail. The trainee will be taught about all other types of closing such as "Round Table Closing" and will be trained on how to provide the list of documents the Seller and Buyer can expect to sign at closing and gain a full knowledge of these documents and what they mean. Throughout the whole process the Trainee will gain client relation skills through dealing constantly with other attorneys, banks, lenders, realtors and clients.
The trainee will learn how to collect all the funds involved and how to explain all information and documents, breakdown of closing costs to the clients, including HUD1 Settlement Statement. The trainee will also learn how to research information on such items as changing utilities into new client's name and other details relating to the process. Trainee will learn how to negotiate and complete a "leaseback" agreement in the event seller has to stay on in the property for the interim period. The Trainee will learn how to record the conveyance deed and / or the new mortgage with the county recorder and deal with the title insurance policy.
Throughout this process trainee will learn about and obtain a comprehensive knowledge on the following:-



Purchase• HUD1 Settlement Statement• Compliance Agreement• Mortgage• Note• Truth In Lending• Survey Affidavit or New Survey• Final Good Faith Estimate• Interest Statement• Notice of Right to Cancel• Name Affidavits• Occupancy Affidavit• Various IRS forms• Completed 1003-Loan Application• Flood Insurance Notice Sale• HUD1 Settlement Statement• Compliance Agreement• Conveyance Deed• Seller’s Affidavit• Gas and/or Pest Inspections• Home Warranty• Payoff Authorizations• Name Affidavits


Finally, in addition to all of the above, the Trainee on a constant basis will interact with the staff and House Counsel, learn to examine title records and with the knowledge obtained above will review and prepare legal documents

The Trainee will learn to understand and adopt varying methods of real estate transactions and have a vast knowledge of real estate law, procedures and client relation skills.

Bloody hell what more do they want?!? My training plan was faxed over yesterday, but I don't have a copy here at work. If you could wait another day I could scan it and email it to you tomorrow.

By the way, my employer has had three other interns through CIEE, so I'm assuming he's perfected the training plan by now.

Thanks
 

That would be very cool - but they told me I need to get it faxed back before 5pm today unfortunately so that we can stick to the dates and there doesnt seem to be any manouvre on that.

Not to worry - I will keep at it today and hopefully come up with something good. :)

Thanks tho, appreciate it lots!

Lesley, my initial thought is that maybe you should play up the fact that this will allow you to gain international knowledge, what I mean to say is that you will be able to learn stuff about the US legal/housing industry which you would not be able to get in the UK. Are there any companies in the UK which deal with this type of American law?
Clutching at straws I know, but having looked through the rest of it, I honestly don't see it differing all that much from what I received yesterday!

I was thinking that too. I think this is the main problem - they don't see how I will get a better job when I come home - having learned US real estate when they see that I already know UK real estate.

BUT, I think the main advantage is that I will know different work ethics, methods and yes, international aspects of law that may not apply here in the UK, but I think it would show that I am capable, etc and would give me an edge over other people when applying for jobs back home. - its getting that into the right words that's the problem I guess. I think the main transition is too, I dont have the official real estate paralegal qualification in the UK although I do the job from on the job training - but there is no law firm willing to give me a traineeship with college thrown in too so that is obviously a benefit also.

I thought maybe I was being glaringly stupid about the TP and that it was so awful you all would laugh when you saw it - so I am sort of relieved but confused at the same time to see that it's not all that different from your employers TP.

:confused: :confused:

Are you sure there are no firms which offer this service in the UK? My friend works for a company called Frank Hirth and he actually specialises in American tax (for expats and the like). Maybe there are similar firms for the US housing market?!? Especially when you consider the amount of people buying second homes in Florida! Then you could say that it would give you an edge over other British legal secretaries and add a bit of weight to the application.

This is true...
 

I will have a look and see what I can come up with.

Thanks a mil for this!

You're welcome :) Keep your chin up!

Any opinions?
 

I've finished a little part of it - just wondered if anyone has any ideas or suggestions - or if you think its okay. They told me to concentrate on supervision etc so that's what I've tried to do. I started off with the question they ask..

How will the trainee be supervised and given feedback on her performance?

The following supervision and feedback methods will be employed to accomplish the program goals:-

Primarily, throughout the duration of the program, issues arising from the Supervisor's assessment will be discussed in a weekly meeting with the trainee (Lesley). Feedback will be given as to her progress. Additionally, once a month there will be a meeting to discuss the traineeship in more detail. The trainee and supervisor will assess her own core responsibilities and performances against goals agreed to when she commenced with our firm. The higher level supervisor (attorney) will give an overall performance rating. The trainee will also be asked, if they feel the objectives of the training plan are being met.

With regard to supervision:-
A training approach will be used in which the program learning objectives are accomplished primarily through experiential learning under the supervision and mentoring of licensed attorneys and paralegals.

All work performed by the trainee during the training program duration will be under the supervision of a licensed paralegal. Essentially, Lesley will work with and will be supervised constantly by a senior paralegal and on occasion, an attorney.
As a trainee who is under constant supervision, we envisage developing the trainee's core competencies and she will learn to gradually be capable of increasing professional responsibility. TThe training plan is obviously primarily learning-oriented and training considerations take precedence over service delivery, which is why Lesley will be constantly supervised at all times. Her training, on a given rotation will follow a progression from observation to increasingly autonomous, albeit monitored and supervised, activity. This progression might typically include:

1. observation of a supervisor performing a variety of legal and specialized duties in various departments, thereafter being questioned on the same procedures.
2. simulated practice of specific skills;
3. assessment and studying, conducted jointly by the trainee and supervisor;
4. supervisor directly observing Lesley performing assessment or intervention with clients;
5. audio taping of Lesley during supervised client meetings - for subsequent assessment and review;
6. Lesley gives written or verbal summaries of legal procedures, in supervision.

The trainee will receive a minimum of 25 hours of supervision each week – the remainder of time will be undergoing tasks set for her and these will be monitored closely and feedback given on a weekly basis. A complement to the formal supervision is the role modeling and mentoring Lesley will get from working with her supervising colleagues. In addition to the above supervision, she will also participate in didactic seminar style meetings on topics related to her training.

Looks like you've covered all bases to me. What was it you were saying about the online qualification?

Do you mean the US paralegal course you asked about?