Recognition is the process by which a person’s existing skills and knowledge, regardless of how they have been acquired, are assessed and credited towards the achievement of units of competency from national training package qualifications or accredited courses.

Recognition is sometimes known as:

• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
• Recognition of Current Competency (RCC)
• Assessment-only Pathway

RPL is the acknowledgment of skills and knowledge obtained through learning achieved outside the formal education and training system and includes work and life experience including paid and volunteer work and skills attained through leisure pursuits such as musical, mechanical or linguistic abilities.

RPL recognises any prior knowledge and experience and measures it against the qualification you enrolled. The candidate may not need to complete all of a training program if he or she already possesses some of the competencies taught in the program.

Provisions in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 require RTOs to offer recognition to all applicants on enrolment and ensure that the process is structured to minimise the time and cost to applicants.

If you apply for RPL and your application is successful you could:

• Reduce or eliminate the need for any training in skills and knowledge you already have.
• Save time by not needing to attend any or a reduced number of classes and completing unnecessary work.
• Save money because you will not have to buy textbooks and other learning material.
• Complete your qualification in a shorter time.
• Advance to a higher-level qualification in a shorter time if desired.

For more information read our RPL Candidate Guide or contact us.