Real Estate Job Placements on the Rise According to UCI Center for Real Estate

COSTA MESA, CA, August 17, 2010 (Press-News.org) Job opportunities within the real estate industry are on the rise for recent graduates, according to the University of California, Irvine's Center for Real Estate. The Center, which is part of the University's Paul Merage School of Business, cites a significant increase in job placements and inquiries for graduate students over the past two years.

"We are definitely seeing a rise in real estate job inquiries and placements in spite of the recent credit crisis," said Tom Kozicki, Executive Director of MBA Career Services at the Paul Merage School of Business. "This includes requests for real estate positions within large financial institutions such as Wells Fargo and Bank of America and positions with emerging, opportunistic organizations such as Archbay Capital."

The Center attributes its ability to place talent in a difficult market to programs that establish and nurture its students' connection to the local real estate community. The Center, with an advisory board of approximately 70 members, offers an extensive mentorship program, a new annual fellowship program with the Southern California Chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) and a host of events where students are able to interact with members of the professional community and build relationships.    

"This educational approach, which we call 'action learning,' augments a challenging curriculum with a high level of interaction between our students and the real estate community," said Kerry D. Vandell, Director of the Center for Real Estate. "The challenging nature of the job market has made relationships more important than ever before and this level of access enables students to make meaningful connections that lead to career opportunities."

The Center also benefits from its collaboration with the Merage School's highly successful MBA Career Center. In 2009, more than nine out of 10 Merage School Full Time MBA graduates secured jobs within 90 days, greater than any other Top 50 Business School according to BusinessWeek.

"The influence and activities of the Center have truly enhanced my MBA learning experience as well as my marketability in this challenging market," said Jason Ireland, a recent MBA graduate who was placed at Lewis Companies.
 
About the Center for Real Estate
The Center for Real Estate at the Paul Merage School of Business is a core component of the University of California, Irvine's Real Estate and Urban Development program. As a comprehensive professional and academic program, the Center is focused on advancing the real estate industry through student education, research, mentorship and professional outreach. The Center's faculty and advisory board is comprised of Southern California's most influential real estate professionals. More information is available at www.merage.uci.edu/go/CRE.
 
About The Paul Merage School of Business at UC Irvine
The Paul Merage School of Business at The University of California, Irvine offers four MBA programs, in addition to PhD and undergraduate degrees in business. The Merage School consistently ranks among the top 10 percent of all programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) through exceptional student recruitment, world-class faculty, a strong alumni network and close individual and corporate relationships. US News & World Report currently ranks the Merage School MBA program at #36 in the U.S. More information is available at www.merage.uci.edu. 

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