Peter Schinner
Bachelor of Property and Real Estate
Peter Schinner took up tertiary study for the first time at the age of 42. Now he is hooked.
Soon after finishing school, Peter spent three years in the police force, then his father's illness saw him step into the family printing business. At that point, he says, 'kids and a mortgage' meant there was no room in his life for study.
Meanwhile, an ongoing interest in real estate saw Peter eager to learn more about the field. 'I used the business to fund my interest in real estate,' he says. 'Now that I have got to the stage where all my major commitments are almost completed, I felt I needed to do some study to keep the brain going.'
Deakin University's new Bachelor of Property and Real Estate looked the best option and Peter welcomed 2008 by enrolling at the Burwood campus. However, he was unprepared for the impact his new life would have on him. 'I thought I would complete the course, get my degree and it would be just something for me personally,' he says. 'But now I am in the process of handing over the printing business and I am hoping for a career change.'
Not that mature age study was plain sailing in the beginning. 'In the first week I just wanted to run. I was a bit intimidated,' Peter admits. Mixing with much younger students is a matter of balance, he found. 'I have been really well accepted. You have to know when to pull your head in but, once I worked everything out, it's been great - really enjoyable.'
His extra years have proved a bonus with the study commitments, Peter thinks. 'This is not something I could have done at 21. I just didn't have the head for it or the desire.' He entered the course with his own ideas about real estate and has enjoyed having them challenged, he says. 'Richard Reed, who heads the course, has brought in a different way of thinking and it has been quite a challenge because my own ideas were a bit fixed - particularly about valuation. I would have made some serious mistakes without that knowledge.'
Peter also is very happy with the quality of the course content and the other staff. 'There is a fair bit of valuation theory but it is a practical course. I can't praise the teaching staff highly enough,' he says. 'The lecturers are brilliant. They have brought some real experience to the course.'
Regardless of his work future, Peter is so delighted with his current course that he plans to continue studying. 'I have got the study bug now. I am seriously considering doing an honours year and possibly going further.'
