Mentorship Matters

Published: September 3, 2025

Mentorships in the workplace help build confidence, accelerate learning and growth, create connections of support, and help expand opportunities and networks. They also help build leadership skills. There's a long list of benefits, and those benefits are exactly what the Sacramento Association of Realtors® (SAR) and Los Rios Community College District are seeing through their Cosumnes River College real estate mentorship program.

Expanding the Scope of Education

As you may know, real estate education is a key component of real estate consumer protection. It is critical that real estate applicants entering the real estate industry are knowledgeable, well-prepared, and equipped to serve the best interests of their clients.

The SAR and Los Rios Community College mentorship program is taking real estate education beyond traditional books and college coursework. The program offers students real-life experience, focusing on practical application and the opportunity to develop desired skills for future success in real estate.

"The SAR and Los Rios Community College District's mentorship program is a great way for students to get real-life experience by learning alongside an experienced mentor," said Cindi Cereceres, current SAR mentor and SAR Internship Committee Chair. "It really helps them feel ready to hit the ground running once they get their license and join a brokerage. One of the first and continuing things I teach my students is the importance of being ethical. To me, that's the most important part of this business."

For any college graduate, finding a job can take time. The same holds true for many of those who complete the required real estate coursework, pass the real estate exam, and receive a real estate license. This mentorship program understands the need for practical, in-office opportunities to help with students' transition into the real estate industry.

"The Internship in Real Estate program offers a supervised, structured, hands-on exposure to real estate sales, while providing some of the fundamental skills and knowledge needed to launch a successful real estate career," said Pat Butler, Cosumnes River College Real Estate and Business Professor. "Upon completing the program, interns have had an inside look into the business of real estate and are better able to decide whether this is the right choice for them, and if so, have a head start as they begin a career in the field. The benefits are not limited to the intern; the real estate industry also benefits from the increased level of experience, knowledge, and professionalism possessed by these interns when they become real estate licensees."

How the Program Works

Students who are accepted into the program must complete a total of 108 internship hours and attend 18 hours of mandatory scheduled classroom meetings during the semester. Interns who successfully complete this program earn 3 units of college credit. The class also meets the California Department of Real Estate's education requirements for the licensing exams as a substitute for Real Estate Practice or an elective.

"The relationships I developed during that season still exist today with both students and mentors," said Esther Kennedy, a former Cosumnes River College student in the January 2024 SAR mentorship program. "I am on a fantastic and supportive team and closed my first deal in 6 months. This success can only be attributed to the program and the incredible mentorship I received."

Learn more about the joint SAR and Cosumnes River College mentorship program here: Real Estate Internship Program - Sacramento Association of REALTORS®.

Growing Mentorship Opportunities for Future Generations

The Department of Real Estate encourages all its licensees to explore and participate in mentorship opportunities, if afforded the opportunity, to give back and support the next generation of licensees for future success.

"The collaboration between SAR and the Los Rios Community College District to ensure students are most prepared for future careers in real estate is invaluable and certainly aligns with the Department of Real Estate's (DRE) consumer protection mandate," said DRE Assistant Commissioner of Licensing Jeff Oboyski. "Licensees are critical to the success of these programs, and we applaud those who are willing to volunteer their time with those just beginning their journey in the real estate profession."

If you're a licensee already participating in a mentorship program, we encourage you to share with us a little about your program by emailing us at DRELicensingEducation@dre.ca.gov. We'd love to learn more about the impactful work happening in your communities.