A 10-week Launch into commercial real estate
The CRE Launch Program is a 10-week commercial real estate training program designed to prepare students and early professionals for success. The program was created to attract and retain high quality talent in the CRE industry.
Who is this program designed for? Current commercial real estate professionals such as attorneys, lenders and brokers looking to expand their knowledge of the industry they work in as well as up-and-coming professionals wanting to break into commercial real estate.
Core Components
- Course Modules
- Weekly Research
- Real-World Assignments
- Discussions & Lectures
10-Week Launch Program
In-Person Lectures
1 hour (12pm - 1pm CST) Mondays & Thursdays.Self-Paced Online Modules & Assignments
10-15 hours/week recommendedMultiple Locations for Networking
In-Person and Hybrid Campuses
Nationwide Campuses
The CRE Launch San Antonio campus was founded in 2020 and is where the program first began. That year, when Foresite's Managing Broker, Bethany Babcock, noticed many students were facing uncertainty about their internships, she was inspired to take action. Foresite decided to open its internal training program to individuals beyond the firm, and the response was overwhelming. It became clear that this initiative has the potential to make a meaningful impact on the entire industry.
Since then, the program has grown beyond San Antonio, and by 2024, 143 students have benefited from this opportunity, with 22 scholarships awarded. This initiative represents a vital investment in the future of our industry, addressing the critical need for new and diverse talent in the face of an impending labor shortage.
The CRE Launch program's mission is clear: to invest in the future of our industry, one emerging professional at a time.
Instructors
Garrett Wilson
Tyler Alley
Michael Huseby
Makenzie Campbell
J.W. Fields
Andrew Baumgardner
Daniel Shearer
Rick Holland
Steve Lin
Melissa Robinson
Alexandria Tatem
Bethany Babcock, MBA
Chad Knibbe, CCIM®
Kenny Schultz
Platinum Sponsors
I want to extend my thanks to the team, the speakers, and the graders. This course has been extremely impactful for my professional development. I recently spoke with a broker whom I consider a mentor, and he was impressed with my progress in understanding CRE topics. I'm gladly recommending this course to anyone looking to develop a strong foundation in CRE.
Frank Nater (Class of 2025)
Top Virtual Student in Graduating ClassHaving been part of [the CRE Launch] Training Program, I can say that this is an incredible opportunity to be mentored by industry leaders and veterans from Foresite Commercial Real Estate. Bethany, Chad, Alexandria, and the whole Foresite team were amazing to work with and were always willing to meet virtually one-on-one and provide insightful information for our course work. I’m grateful to have been part of Foresite’s 2020 Training Program, as I made so many connections and it led me to my current employment at NorthMarq!
Edith Gonzales (Class of 2020)
Sales Development Representative at NorthmarqMy career is in commercial lending and this is where the class really helped me become both more confident in talking to customers about development projects but also underwriting their projects.
Kyle Bubela (Class of 2021)
Banking Professional at Jefferson BankForesite’s CRE Launch Program was top-notch. As a professional economic developer, I had certain preconceived ideas of what this course would teach me. The program easily surpassed those expectations. I gained a deeper appreciation of the many facets of commercial real estate — from macro economics to micro economics, outstanding lectures from solid professionals and real world projects — I felt I came away with a lot more than I expected. I cannot speak more highly about this program. Thank you again for this remarkable opportunity.
Kate Silva, CEdC (Class of 2022)
Certified Economic Developer and Commercial Realtor at Verde Commercial Real Estate / KW City ViewThis class went over everything I've gone over in the last year and a half of college--and then one upped it.
Justin Ventura (Class of 2022)
Associate at Partners Real EstateI actually used [the CRE Launch Program] to get my job at JLL. They heard of the program and they were really excited because of it. That’s one of the reasons why they hired me.
Angelica Griesenbeck (Class of 2024)
Sales Assistant at JLLGet Involved & Learn More
Class of 2024 Breakdown
- 52.78% had less than one year of experience in commercial real estate
- 36.11% had 1-3 years of experience in commercial real estate
- 2.78% had more than 10 years of work experience (regardless of industry)
Common careers prior to CRE included:
- Attorney
- Business Owner
- Military
- Lender
- 61.10% working full time in the industry at the time of application
- 38.89% female
- 73% of the students were local
- 27% joined us remotely
- 16 brokerage firms represented