The RPL Process

Many individuals are aware that they have significant skills that they have used in their work. Possibly, they cannot afford to take time off work to attend classroom style training to get the formal recognition that matches their skills and experience. If you are one of these people, you should consider a recognition process.

A formal recognition process acknowledges that the workplace can be a very significant place of learning and that a process should be provided to recognise the skills and knowledge that individuals develop through their work place experiences. This process is known as Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or as Recognition of Current Competency (RCC).

With the demands of modern business, a sensible way to demonstrate self-development is to utilize existing mentoring and coaching methods in the workplace. Many individuals will develop their formal competency through a combination of recognition and workplace learning.


How does it work?

RPL itself is a straightforward process. Call your assessor for guidance. All recognition will include a pre-enrolment discussion and unit selection, and your assessor will make sure that your selection process is suitable to your needs and fits within the qualification rules. Your assessor will guide you on this. Full assistance to determine the evidence requirements will be provided by an assessor. The quality of evidence is what is sought, not quantity.

The assessor will review the material and establish through discussion and observation that the requirements set by the job standards are met. The Aboard Training Australia assessment is conducted in a friendly, non-threatening way. The assessor provides every opportunity for you to demonstrate your capability and hence achieve success.

To help you decide if recognition is for you, have a read of the following guide for preparing for recognition.


  1. Make sure you understand the requirements of the job roles. Ask questions at the pre enrollment interview. Your assessor will be happy to explain the skills needed and how they relate to you. Sometimes these skills requirements are written in a very generic manner and it may be hard at first glance to match your experience. That is why we provide you with help as required. Your assessor will assist you to interpret the requirements of the job role and to identify appropriate evidence.

  2. Prepare and document your evidence. There are many forms of appropriate evidence such as:
    • Testimonials references from peers, colleagues or supervisors
    • Examples/samples of your work (Records, Operating Manuals, reports, plans, schedules, workplace diaries)
    • Statements of attendance/completion of training
    • Your experience documented in a curriculum vitae (CV)

    3. Please note that you are likely to find overlap between some job roles. Don't duplicate materials used for evidence. You must also prepare a Personal Profile / CV that outlines your work history and other experiences relevant to the job roles in which you are being assessed.

  3. Concentrate of evidence that is recent. Your experiences and activities over the last 5-8 years will be the most critical. This is not to say that learning and experience beyond this time frame won't be relevant, but you will need to demonstrate that you can still perform tasks / skills and apply knowledge from the more distant past.

  4. Try to collect the right amount of evidence. Your mentor or assessor will advise you on what is sufficient evidence. It is unnecessary and time wasting to collect or document too much (or too little) evidence.

  5. Focus on what skills and knowledge you possess – not where you learned them! Relevant learning will have occurred in many contexts during your life. Don't overlook knowledge and skills gained from participation in industry organisations, other personal businesses, sporting associations, study tours etc.

  6. An assessor is not an inspector. A workplace assessor is your agent to gaining recognition for your skills and knowledge. Their role is to assist you to achieve your goal. Assessors are required to be 'faithful to the standards and fair to the applicant'.


Summary

The recognition process is transparent. That is, all the information about a job role is provided to you and there are no hidden or unexpected requirements or trick questions. You will be provided with advice about the appropriate evidence for each job role. You should seek clarification if you are unsure of the requirements.