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 Updated: 5/14/2011 |
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Recognition of Prior Learning is a form of assessment that is used to determine whether a person has acquired through formal or informal learning, skills and experience consistent with the stated competency standards that comprise a qualification. RPL is not time referenced so there are no parameters on when or how you acquired the skills, though you must show currency. In addition, the skills that you have acquired through life experience must be current and must match the stated competency elements and performance criteria contained in the Units of Competency.
The RPL process involves providing valid evidence that demonstrates conclusively that you do in fact possess the necessary skills and knowledge being assessed. When you have provided this evidence it is compared with the competency standards and the RPL assessor will determine whether sufficient evidence had been provided. The onus is wholly on the candidate to provide the evidence.
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Fees
RPL will incur an administration and assessment fee. The fee varies according to the qualification you are seeking recognition. Some qualifications are "assessment intensive", for example Fitness and Community Recreation.
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Application
RPL can be granted for the whole qualification (Certificate III and IV) or for individual Units of Competency. If you believe that you can provide reliable and valid evidence to support your claims, ring The WISE Academy on 02 6162 0919 for an appointment.
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Competency Standards
After discussing the process with the above co-ordinator the candidate is then required to examine the competency standards listed below and gather evidence that demonstrates beyond doubt to the RPL assessor that your skills and experience are consistent with the competency standards.
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Evidence
Evidence is the proof that the participant has acquired the relevant knowledge or skills. The following list indicates some of the forms of evidence that may be used as proof of competency:
- Qualifications
- Workshop/Courses/Professional Development
- Letters from Employers
- Examples of work
- Video
- Substantiated Curriculum Vitae
- Challenge test/ Assessment
- Job and position Descriptions/ Duty Statements
- Any other example of evidence that supports your claims
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Tips and hints to help you show your skills for recognition
In order to have skills formally recognised in a national system, assessors must make sure you have the skill to the industry standard. This means you must be involved in a careful and comprehensive process that covers the content of all of the units or qualifications you are applying for recognition. Your skills and experience from the past 2 years are the most important in the assessment because these show you are current in the industry. Assessment can happen in a variety of ways. Being prepared can save you lots of time, hassle and frustration. Here are some tips and hints to prepare for a recognition process (face-to-face).
- Be prepared to talk about your job roles and your work history. Identify in your resume where you have worked, either paid or unpaid, and what you did there.
- Bring your position description and any performance appraisals you have from organisations in which you have worked.
- Consider the possibilities for workplace contact. Are you in a workplace that is supporting your goals to get qualified? Would you feel comfortable to have the assessor contact your workplace so your skills can be validated?
- Think about who can confirm your skill level. Think about current or recent supervisors who have seen you work in the past 24 months and will be able to confirm your skills. We will need to contact them. You may also have community contacts or even clients themselves who can vouch for your skill level.
- Collect any certificates from in-house training or formal training you have done in the past.
- You can speak with the WISE Academy about other ways you can show your skills. These could be letters from employers, records of your professional development sessions, employers or clients in aged care, acknowledgements, workplace forms (as long as they don’t show client details) or other relevant documents.
- Browse through the snapshots of units that relate to your work. This will help you to get an idea about where your skills could fit with national training units. You can get full details of any unit from the WISE Academy or the National Training Information Service http://www.ntis.gov.au.
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| Postal Address: PO Box 981, Belconnen ACT 2616. (Ph) +61 2 6162 0919 (Em) info@thewiseacademy.com [ABN: 20124018944] [NTIS No. 88136] |
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Recognition (RPL) 