NTC's VP of Quality Shawn Sorensen was interviewed by Tara Quinn of The Title Report about our amazing training standards. The article has been published here fo you to view:
Since the first quarter of 2011, Nationwide Title Clearing (NTC) has been updating, reworking and
expanding its training program and is now seeing the benefits.
"NTC has always focused on intensive training since our inception in 1991," Vice President of Quality
Shawn Sorensen told The Title Report. "In 2009 we developed a fixation on extraordinary training
measures. When I arrived in 2011, I tried to take it to the next level. We saw a need to really focus our
training. Regulations have increased scrutiny on detail. NTC recognized this early on so we immediately
began taking action to ensure our training was absolutely thorough and detailed oriented."
The program was updated, in part, to address these new regulations at the federal, state and countylevel.
NTC’s Quality Division is constantly reviewing changes to laws and regulations at each level and keepingtheagents updated to any changes. Quality is a separate division which includes training with 25 full-timestaffers.Training is conducted through a step-by-step approach. The trainee has to show understanding each
step of the way before advancing to a higher level of training.
"We use a balance of theory and practical application," Sorensen said. "They do some basic reading and
studying on the concepts of the mortgage industry. Then, we go over the concepts with them and then
they do the work. If they are training to be a data enterer or someone doing online research for us, We
have proprietary software that assists them with this. We’ll have them do the work so they can put the
information to use right away. We do this throughout the organization from the beginner to the highest
level.
"We want to make sure every single person understands what they’re doing and why they’re doing it."
There are a series of examinations at each level of the training and the trainee has to show 100 percent
understanding. Anyone who doesn’t understand a concept can work with a staff member and reexamine
until they achieve the standard.Everything is documented and a record of their training is kept.The majority of the training was created in-house by experts such as the company’s Chief Legal Officer
Myron Finley. He created curriculum around corporate resolutions and powers of attorneys. Vice
President of Technical Excellence Dave LaRose contributed as well. Sorensen also works closely with the
risk management to make sure the training addresses clients’ needs such as internet security awareness,
policy and procedures and change controls, client confidentiality and data security.
Trainees also receive document identification training, as well as training on advanced on-line research,
document retrieval, post closing and document procurement, file audit and remediation, advanced
property reports preparation, data entry, document review, document inspections and county
requirements and remediation.
Each employee is also given an hour of paid time to train daily.
"We believe training is a very large part of the quality," Sorensen said. "By spending that extra time up
front we know we’re going to get understanding and quality work out of that person. Later on we’re
expecting to see that quality there and we basically do. We do have that high focus on that training up
front."
Since the training program has been in place, NTC has had incredible improvement in the area of
employee retention. According to Sorensen, employee turnover has gone from 13 percent to 6 percent
since January 2011. The goal is to decrease that number to under 5 percent over the next two years.
The company is also boasting a less than 1 percent rejection rate from county recorders. Legal fine and
penalties have been reduced to virtually zero and NTC achieves a 99.8 percent compliance rate.
"The feedback has been incredibly positive," Sorensen said. "I firmly believe a well trained workforce is a
confident workforce. If they know what they’re doing, they’re happy at their job. From my own
experience, I know if I know my job, I look forward to going to it every day. They want more training.
They want to advance. It’s been incredible."
But, the updating and revising isn’t finished. Sorensen said training will be adjusted to adapt to new
regulations and situations in the industry.
"You have to be willing to change with the times," he said. "We have to modernize all the time. It’s not a
static situation."
