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Distance Learning Program lets managers train at home

By Kevin Kenyon

As the shopping center industry continues to expand throughout the world, so does the need for training and professional recognition. But a shopping center professional's ability to travel can be limited by time and funds. So, instead of professionals going to school, school is coming to them.

Through ICSC's Shopping Center Management Institute Distance Learning Program, a home-study program, developers in a growing number of countries are taking steps to educate managers, marketing directors, leasing agents and other industry professionals about the special needs of operating retail real estate.

The first course cycle, which runs for nine months, began in October, and drew about 110 attendees in 26 countries.

The Distance Learning Program was developed to provide education to members outside the United States unable to travel for long periods of time, said Madison Gross, ICSC's manager of education. The students do meet one day per month to review course material completed earlier.

The self-study course, modeled after the ICSC School for Professional Development Management I and II Institutes, consists of nine sections that take between 10 and 12 hours to complete. Students work from prepared packets as well as other industry reference materials supplied by ICSC. Upon completion of a final course project, the students are graded and receive a certificate from ICSC.

Students can choose from the following courses: The Shopping Center Manager, an Overview; Financial Planning for Shopping Center Managers; Insurance and Risk Management; The Lease and Its Language; Understanding Leasing Strategies; What Managers Need to Know About Center Marketing; Retailing for Shopping Center Managers; Basic Maintenance Management; and Shopping Center Security Management.

The course curricula were developed by a group of shopping center professionals from the United States, South America, Asia and the Middle East.

In Taiwan, the program has been embraced enthusiastically, according to Marta R. Lou, general manager at Taipei Metro, one of Taiwan's first modern shopping centers.

Taipei Metro, which opened in 1994, is a founding member of the Shopping Center Development Council (SCDC), and has been an active participant in ICSC activities. The center earned a Merit in Design Award in 1996.

Until recently, the mall was one of the country's few major shopping centers. However, more than 50 centers are now under development, according to Ms. Lou, who worked with the SCDC to develop and market the Distance Learning Program in Taiwan. Although these centers are not expected to open within the next two years, Ms. Lou said there is a general concern about a lack of experienced employees to run them.

"The training of managerial people for new retail concepts is becoming an urgent need," she explained.

To address this problem, the SCDC established an education subcommittee in 1996, which was headed by Ms. Lou, a veteran in Asia's retail business.

When she took on the position at Taipei Metro prior to the opening of the center, Ms. Lou was immediately confronted with the problem of communicating the shopping center concept to local retailers.

"The relationship between the operator and tenants is very different from that of vendor and department store," she explained. "Also, the matters relating to marketing and management style are more difficult because of the different culture. The introduction of the Distance Learning Program was received as the obvious solution to this need."

To promote the Distance Learning Program, a press conference was held in July 1996, followed by direct marketing to the association members and a list of 100 corporations involved in shopping centers, she said.

"The target was to recruit 30 students, but the response was so overwhelming that by the time registration had closed, the association had received a total of 63 applicants, of which 60% are SCDC members," she added.

Since Taiwan has few shopping centers, it was initially difficult for participants to apply some of the concepts they had learned, Ms. Lou said. However, with the help of SCDC advisors, they were able to study some relevant case histories.

Course participants have come from the following countries: Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Canada, the Philippines, Australia, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela, Chile, Ecuador, Turkey, Zimbabwe, Sweden, Austria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan. A new course is slated to begin in July.