What is Recognition of Prior Learning?
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is the acknowledgement of your prior skills and knowledge obtained through formal training, life and work experience. RPL is based on whether your experiences and or qualifications meet the performance criteria. The process of RPL requires you to collate and present evidence to support your claims of competence. The focus must be on your work and the level of your involvement in the evidence provided.
Even if your experiences don’t meet all of the required standards, you may find that there are some you do meet. We call this identifying the training need or skill gap. Recognition can be given for those parts you do meet, and you will only need to update your skills in other areas, either by training or work life experiences to receive the qualification you are seeking.
What is Recognition of Current Competency?
Recognition of Current Competency (RCC) is often used alongside or instead of the term RPL and they do follow similar processes. It is generally considered that persons seeking RCC may hold a similar qualification from many years prior and we will put that forward as evidence supported by other evidence demonstrating how their current skills reflect the requirements of the updated qualification they are seeking.
You don’t need to distinguish between RCC and RPL. Your portfolio of evidence just needs to address the criteria.
And Credit Transfer?
A credit transfer is automatically awarded when you present evidence of successful completion (i.e. transcript) of a particular unit or qualification that is the same as the qualification you are seeking. This means you don’t need to do that unit or units again, providing it is exactly the same unit (or recognised as equivalent). All educational institutions, in relation to nationally recognised qualifications, must recognise qualifications issued by another Registered Training Organisation that are the same or are recognised as equivalent, there are no exceptions!
What does the RPL Process Involve?
You will need to :
Select the Qualification/units you wish to present evidence for
Obtain an RPL kit from JCE Positive Outcomes which will detail the performance criteria for each unit
Decide if you have some or all of the required competencies
Obtain the relevant evidence for each criteria for each unit
Complete the RPL kit by identifying what evidence you can use for each criteria to substantiate your claim of competence
Organise your evidence into a portfolio
Submit the portfolio for assessment – in assessing your portfolio, your assessor must ensure your evidence is valid, sufficient, current and authentic
Action feedback as required
Receive your qualification
If you have studied previously or have significant work experience in a particular field, you may be eligible for credit towards a new course, allowing you to finish your study sooner.
To apply for RPL:
Contact our Student Support team on (02) 6258 0033 for a personalised RPL kit and fee schedule.
Collect evidence to support your RPL application.
Forward your RPL application form contained in your RPL kit, RPL evidence and payment to JCE Positive Outcomes
