Recognition of Prior Learning...
Skills recognition means that the skills
and knowledge you already have through informal learning may count towards a
nationally recognised qualification or statement of attainment. You might also
hear skills recognition called Recognition of Prior Learning or RPL.
To have your skills recognised you need
to get a formal assessment. A Ramsden qualified TITAB registered assessor will
evaluate and consider your evidence of:
·
paid or unpaid work in Australia or
overseas
·
on-the-job training
·
other qualifications from Australia
or overseas
·
carrier training
·
community or voluntary work
If they recognise your skills, you may be
able to shorten the length of time for your studies. In some cases, you may get
100 per cent recognition of your qualification, meaning you would not have to
study at all.
Firstly you need to
know what qualification you want recognition in. You can choose from our list
of qualifications or forward your detailed resume and scanned copies of your
training certificates to info@ramsdentraining.com.au and our assessors will give you some guidance
Once you have
selected your qualification you enrol in that qualification and then provide
the evidence you'll need to demonstrate your skills, and be assessed against
the requirements of the qualification. Our assessors will assess your RPL and
advise what credit you will receive. This may reduce the time taken to achieve
your qualification.
If you have previously done some formal
studies we may be able to give you credit for it in your new qualification. If
your previous study and your new course are both nationally recognised training
within Australia, it should be easy to claim credit transfer.
What is Evidence
Your assessor will be able to help you
decide on the best evidence, but you need to be proactive in putting it
together.
This can take some time to organise. You
need to show your assessor you already have the skills and knowledge to meet
Australian industry standards.
Evidence can take many forms including:
·
samples, photographs or videos of
your work
·
a practical 'on the job' assessment
·
answers to questions in an interview
with your assessor
·
a simulation of a work activity
·
letters of validation from your
employers
·
performance management reports
·
copies of documents you have
completed at work
·
certificates
·
any other evidence that is valid,
sufficient, authentic and current
You need to work out which types of
evidence best demonstrate your competence.
When it comes time to collect evidence to
support your application you need to apply the four rules of evidence for
skills recognition. Evidence must be:
·
Current – this ensures it relates to current practice and
legislation. Your evidence needs to show that you have been doing the tasks
preferable within the last 2 years although in certain circumstances we will
recognise evidence up to 5 years
·
Authentic – It must be your own work and we must be able to verify
that it is
·
Valid – it must be related to the qualification in question
·
Sufficient – there must be enough evidence to cover all components
of qualification
Here are some tips to help with compiling your
recognition application:
|
Dos
|
Don'ts
|
|
Do show reasons why you believe you are competent e.g.
I have been hauling cables for two years. I believe I am competent because I
finish my tasks on time, I have a strong record on working safely and I follow
plans precisely. Evidence of this is contained in my supervisor's report,
which is Item 1 in my portfolio.
|
Don't assume you're competent simply because you have
been doing the job for a long time. e.g. I have been hauling cables for two
years. My tasks include rodding conduits, preparing cables, using tools and
equipment and carrying out hauling activities.
|
|
Do use examples to show you are competent.e.g. Before I
begin a training session I always make sure computer wires are taped to the
floor. When training begins, I let people know where the fire exits are and
advise people to drink water during the day.
|
Don't just say you are competent without giving
examples.e.g. I am very aware of OH&S issues and try to keep the
workplace safe at all times.
|
|
Do get external support for your examples. Wherever
possible, back up your claims by reports from supervisors, photos, job sheets
or maybe even awards, qualifications or newsletter items.
|
Don't rely on your own word only to prove your
competence. It is the weakest form of evidence.
|
|
Do explain the results or outcomes of your competent
performance.e.g. Thanks to my re-organisation of the job allocation system we
have reduced costs in truck rolls. As a result we have reduced fuel costs by
10 per cent in the last three months and improved customer response time.
Evidence of this is in my employer's reference, which is Item 2 in my
portfolio, and also item 3 in my portfolio which shows out fuel cost
reductions. I also include screenshots of the new computerised dispatch
software as Item 4.
|
Don't just say what you did, without explaining the
results you got. e.g. I re-organised the job allocation system which made
things better.
|
FAQ.
Is my evidence is too old?
The best kind of evidence is timely evidence. Evidence
that reflects skills and experience that you have used recently. If there have
been significant changes to legislation or common practise in your area of
expertise you may need to update your skills before getting assessed.
The best kind of evidence is:
·
Sufficient - enough evidence to cover
all components of qualification
·
Valid - related to the qualification
in question
·
Authentic - student's own work
·
Current - relates to current practice
and legislation
I can't find subject details for a
previous course
You
might be having trouble finding out the subject details of a course you studied
in the past. This is especially common if you studied a while ago or in another
country. The first thing to consider here is whether it is worth trying to
track this information down at all. In many cases it will not be.
If you
studied 10 years ago for example, your coursework may no longer be relevant
because of the time gap, technology changes, or changes to legislation
governing your industry. Areas such as Occupational Health and Safety, and
Computer Technology have all changed significantly in the past six or seven
years due to changes in legislation or technological developments. In some
cases core skills such as basic electrical skills may be recognised if completed
longer than five years ago.
Your
more recent work experience, applying what you learnt from that study, will be
a much better way of demonstrating you can meet the current standards needed
for a competency.
It feels like the process is
undermining my skills and my experience in the workplace
Occasionally
some people who go through the skills recognition process say they feel they
are being asked to prove they can do their jobs. This can feel bad, especially
when they have been working in the same industry for many years.
It is
important to remember that skills recognition is not a judgement of your level
of ability, nor is it designed to demean or belittle your work experience.
Instead, skills recognition should provide a measuring stick that can be applied
to all people who work in skilled areas. The more work experience you have, the
more confident you can be that your skills and experience may match a
qualification.
For
some people, the documentation of aspects of their working life can be a very
rewarding experience.
The training costs too much
A
workplace assessment can be very expensive in some circumstances. It is
therefore worth talking to Centrelink about alternate funding arrangements as
there are a number of state and government funding programs that may be able to
provide you with financial assistance.
I can't find the evidence I need
If you can't find written documentation to support your
claim towards a qualification you can use other means of evidence, for example, a demonstration, taxation records,
newsletters, photos or video (to name just a few). How you chose to demonstrate
your skills is not as important as the skills themselves
If you are currently working, we may include an
assessment interview, or we may require you to complete a challenge test as
part of the assessment process. We may also do a workplace assessment which is
beneficial as you are in your own workplace, where all of your evidence will be
at your fingertips. (there are additional charges for this and you need
approval from your company to have our assessor come on site)
I have lost touch with my old work
What
happens if the company you used to work for no longer exists, or for various
reasons you no longer have contact with people from your old job? Can you still
collect evidence about that job?
Yes,
you can. The reason for this is that evidence you have created yourself or can
demonstrate yourself is the most valuable kind of evidence. While assessors can
use references as a guide, primary evidence that is directly created by you, is
the best kind of evidence.
You may
have work documents at home you can submit or perhaps you can demonstrate your
skills in your new workplace or in a demonstration workshop.
I am worried you are collecting the
wrong kind of evidence
One common trap that people who are seeking skills
recognition fall into is collecting too much information, or more specifically
too much of the wrong kind of information. The best way to overcome this is to
select the qualification you are aiming for first, identify the core units and
which elective units you want to do and address your evidence very specifically
and systematically to those units. That way you only collect the right kind of
evidence, the kind of evidence that will allow you to meet your goals quickly
and correctly. Once you have selected your qualification and units we can
provide you with evidence collection sheets for those units.
I don't know where to start
Working
out what skills you have, what qualification you should work towards and what
evidence you can collect to support your application can be a bit daunting at
first. Once you have a good understanding of the process however, you will be
in a better position to make skills recognition work for you. It is worth
taking some time to prepare a detailed resume as this will be required as part
of the recognition process. We can generally tell you what direction to take
from your resume.
How much recognition can I get?
If you
have the evidence to show that you can demonstrate the skills and knowledge
needed, the minimum recognition is one unit of competence and the maximum is a
full qualification.
When should I apply for recognition?
Although
you can apply for recognition at any time, it is best to do it at enrolment
time.
What will it cost in time and money?
Preparing
the evidence for your RPL application will take time. The responsibility for
gathering the evidence lies with you. The more preparation you do the less time
the application may take.
In some
situations you may find it quicker and easier to actually complete the course
than to spend the time collecting and preparing your evidence. One advantage of
this that you may learn new or updated procedures that can benefit your work
practices.
How long will the process take?
We
generally try to complete the process within four weeks however this depends on
how well you have prepared your evidence. Higher level qualifications (Diplomas
& Advanced Diplomas) may take longer due to the level and depth of evidence
required.
Do I need to attend classes while I'm
waiting for a decision?
Generally
yes unless we specifically advise you otherwise, it is however wise to keep up
with your study in case your recognition application isn’t successful.
