SCHOOLS AUCTION IDOL COMPETITION

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (15:38): I rise today to speak about the Schools Auction Idol Competition. I was fortunate enough to have been invited to the official launch of Auction Idol 2011 recently. The Schools Auction Idol Competition was developed by the Society of Auctioneers and Appraisers of South Australia, partly as a response to the concerns about the increasingly ageing auctioneering industry. In the words of Lindsay Warner, past president of the Society of Auctioneers and Appraisers of South Australia, Auction Idol is to ensure that they have a succession plan in place to get as many young people involved in the industry as possible.

It became evident that there was a need to attract young people to auctioneering in order to ensure the continued growth of the industry. In conjunction with Catholic Education, Education SA and TAFE, the schools Auction Idol competition was established and introduced in South Australian high schools in 1997. The requirements for the students who participate in the competition were formed in such a way that they are able to receive credit towards their South Australian Certificate of Education.

The object of the competition is to introduce participants to real estate and auctioneering as a possible career choice. In return, children are taught life skills that support the aim of excellence in vocational and technical education. Students who choose to participate are mentored by a qualified auctioneer, who teaches them about all aspects of conducting an auction. Students must then choose a property which meets the stipulated parameters and conduct an auction on this property. They are then assessed on their performance whilst conducting the auction.

In preparing for their auction, students must research the property, identify selling points and the target market and have knowledge of similar properties in the area. In addition, participants must attend open inspections and auctions in order to gain knowledge of the process. Students are assessed on their research through the evaluation of their workbook. Whilst the students are required to meet certain criteria in their auction, such as describing the property, answering questions and conducting and completing the bidding process, they are also judged on their style and performance.

I understand that many students in the competition and the program have had positive experiences as a result of participating in Auction Idol. Their confidence increases and they gain valuable experience in public speaking. One teacher noticed that students who participated in Auction Idol became more responsible and better behaved. Auction Idol whets the appetite of the students for the industry and provides an insight into the business. I understand that some past participants are now undertaking traineeships with companies such as Brock Harcourts, Harris Real Estate and L.J. Hooker. This demonstrates that this program has been successful in leading students to a career in the industry, be it as an auctioneer, real estate agent, property manager or valuer.