How Does RPL Certification Work?
Recognition or Prior Learning Courses provide you with an avenue to pursue nationally recognised qualifications based on your ability to demonstrate the skills and experience you have in a particular type of work. This assessment will factor in your formal education and your experience working in the field. We all develop skills and knowledge while working, but RPL Certification provides you with a formal qualification to back it up.
In some cases, you may require additional study to complete the certification process, but in many cases, your evidence of skills and learning is more than enough to certify you.
Typical Steps to Certification
Every training organisation has a different process, so you must find out what steps and evidence are necessary for the organisation you choose to pursue RPL Certification with. However, most organisations follow a similar step-by-step process.
The first step is the skills assessment. Speak to your selected provider who will walk you through the process and assess your skills. They may recommend a different qualification than you had planned, but it will be based on the information you provide.
Your consultant will also highlight the need for a portfolio of experience and the types of evidence that can support your application. Someone will assess your portfolio of experience and evaluate whether you have provided sufficient evidence. They may reach out for additional information. Alternatively, they may determine you need extra training in a specific area. There's no additional cost for this, it's part of the process.
Once your portfolio of experience is accepted or you complete the upskill training required, your certification will be complete. You walk away with a nationally recognised Australian qualification the same way you would have from full-time study and you can use it to get better jobs or even to leverage in salary negotiations.
Evidence
While it's important to consult the Accredited Online Courses provider, there are various documents that serve as evidence for the process.
Any records of training (complete), a declaration from a current or past employer, and a copy of relevant student records. The provider will want to see any relevant certifications to support the application; workplace documents that detail your involvement in a particular role or project, performance evaluations, and even personal projects. The evidence you submit must be relevant to your targeted qualification.
The best way to ensure that is the case is to review your targeted qualification and get to know its core competencies so you can compile documentation to support your application.
