Across Australia, more than 19,000 young Australians are starting school‑based apprenticeships and traineeships each year, earning while they learn and working towards nationally recognised qualifications.
In NSW and Victoria, students can begin training as an assistant agent or agent’s representative from the age of 16, creating an early-entry pipeline into real estate years before they are eligible for a full licence at 18.
Year 11 student Jayden McGrath is one of those early recruits. One day a week and every second Saturday, he swaps his St Stanislaus College classroom for the LJ Hooker Bathurst office, learning the real estate trade while he completes his HSC.
Jayden’s school-based traineeship started on 5 February 2026 and runs until 5 January 2028, with a minimum requirement of 100 days of industry experience built into the program.
He is working towards a Certificate III in Real Estate Practice through REINSW, and LJ Hooker Bathurst director Mark Dwyer expects him to complete the qualification by mid next year, ahead of schedule.
In the office, Jayden helps with open homes, puts out signage, assists with paperwork and liaises with clients, all while studying to become a registered assistant agent.
The idea is that by the time he finishes school, he will have both a nationally recognised qualification and the experience to step straight into an entry-level industry role.
This wasn’t a role advertised on a job board. Jayden created the opportunity himself by approaching Mark directly about a traineeship.
Mark, who began his own working life as a school-based apprentice in warehouse management, said that experience made him more open to building a similar pathway in his real estate business.
“At the end of the training, Jayden will have qualifications and can step into an industry role, and we were excited to be part of it,” he said.
“It is great to be involved in bringing up the next up-and-comers, while also having the junior support in the office.
“We have a few young people working within our team, and they bring great energy to the business, and mentoring is always rewarding.”
Because LJ Hooker offices are independently owned and operated, employment pathways, traineeships and local recruitment programs are generally driven at the office level rather than delivered as a single national scheme.
At a corporate level, LJ Hooker’s focus is on training, education and professional development across the network, with a range of programs available to support people at different stages of their careers.
Head of Learning and Development, Ty Read, said school-based traineeships are one way principals can tap into that broader framework while building their own talent pipelines.
“This sort of traineeship used to be very popular and provides a fantastic introduction for young people to understand the realities of a real estate career,” Mr Read said.
“It not only provides a transition into the workforce but also into life.
“By taking a young person under your wing, you show them how to interact with clients, build rapport and work through challenges, including dealing with rejection.
“For growth-focused principals, investing time in developing people can be incredibly rewarding, both professionally and personally.
“At LJ Hooker, we see that kind of development as an important part of building strong, sustainable businesses across the network. Supporting offices to grow their people, nurture new talent and create clear opportunities for learning is central to helping both individuals and teams reach their potential.
“To see a young person grow, mature and become confident in their ability is very rewarding. It can rejuvenate the business, too, by creating a positive environment where everyone is motivated to share their experience and contribute to the development of others.”
For Jayden, the traineeship has reshaped his post-school plans. He said he hadn’t planned to stay at school or go to university, but the structure and support of the traineeship have kept him studying – and he can now see real estate as his future, adding that he couldn’t have picked a better brand to start his career.