A total of 15 Sales Associates from across the VIREB coverage area, as well as others from Victoria and the Lower Mainland are busily hitting the books this week at the VIREB Training Room. The group is taking part in the Residential Trading Services Applied Practice Course organized by the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA). Running Monday to Friday this week (November 26 – 30) the course is part of the licensing process for REALTORS® and is taught by a variety of VIREB Associates. The list of participating instructors includes Ron Williams (Coast Realty Group), Susan McGougan (RE/MAX of Nanaimo), Ray Pellerin (Royal LePage Nanaimo Realty), Joan Miller (RE/MAX of Nanaimo), Kathy White (Coast Realty Group), Sharon Jensen (Century 21 Harbour Realty), Sue Russell (RE/MAX Ocean Pacific) and Tony Joe (RE/MAX Camosun). The Residential Trading Services Applied Practice Course is compulsory for all new licensees and is designed to provide practical training in real estate to new licensees which, together with the Real Estate Trading Services Licensing Course, will enable them to confidently and effectively serve the public's real estate needs in a professional manner. BCREA administers the course, which is compulsory for all new licensees, on behalf of the Real Estate Council of BC (RECBC) and it forms part of the total real estate licensing process. This course is offered at several locations throughout the province (including Nanaimo) by instructors who are experienced real estate professionals and trained in instructional methods.