Did you know that, according to the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment, RPL a recognition of the existing knowledge and skills a student has gained through prior training or life or work experience?
If you’re thinking of getting an RPL—short for Recognition of Prior Learning—then you may be wondering whether it’s right for you.
After all, getting an RPL will take a bit of work on your end. Is it worth putting in the time and effort to earn this qualification? Not having this answer to this question can leave you feeling unsure or stressed about making the decision.
There are many ways you can get ahead in your job role and industry, whether you have an electrical, building inspection, tree lopping, plumbing career or anything in between.
In this article, we’ll review all the benefits of RPL. That way, you can decide whether this qualification is right for you.
Finally, you can use all the experience you’ve gained in your career so far to become even more successful, getting better roles and earning more money.
1. More Access for “Non-Traditional” Students
One of the benefits of getting an RPL is that there’s more access for “non-traditional” students. By this, we mean people who may have not had the opportunity to do further study. Many people have gone straight into working without getting an education.
Whether they’re digital marketers, business lawyers, or pre purchase building inspectors, many people who have worked a long time in these industries want to move their career forward by getting qualifications that can get them better, higher-paying roles.
However, they often find that they don’t have the education required to get these qualifications.
If you’ve been struggling with this situation, then there’s a solution: getting the RPL. Even if you’re lacking a formal education, your career and life can get an instant boost for which you’ve been waiting for so long.
This is whether you’re a successful business person, a well-qualified social worker, and so on. You know you have what it takes, all you need is access. You’ll get this with RPL.
2. Acknowledges the Value of Learning Outside a Formal Setting
When it comes to the benefits of RPL, one of them is that this qualification acknowledges the value of learning outside a formal setting. By this we mean, this qualification values and recognises learning that happens in the workplace.
For example, if you’ve worked in the electrical trade, there are many things that you learn on the job.
These might include how to set up electrical wiring in a home or replacing sockets that have come loose and are a fire hazard.
When you perform these parts of your role, you’re following all the necessary security measures legally required.
You have these skills, but without an RPL, you can’t show that you have them to a future employer.
This is why an RPL is so effective. It acknowledges the value of what you’ve learned, after which you can identify missing skills and gaps you have to fill to reach the high point of life.
You’ll also improve with further learning tasks to achieve the requirements of the particular job or qualification you’re going for.
3. Validates the Worth of the Learning Students Have Achieved by Themselves
One of the other benefits of RPL is that it validates the worth of the learning students have achieved by themselves. This is useful because this makes it easier for you candidates to be promoted or find a new career of their choice faster.
Without RPL, if you wanted to change roles or start a new career, you’d have to spend years learning skills at a trades school—skills you already know you have.
When you have skills you’ve achieved on your own, you feel confident about the particular work you can do in the role you’re applying for.
With RPL, you don’t need to have a formal education to demonstrate this to your employers.
This is why the RPL is beneficial for those who need formal education for their career growth but who already have achieved this by themselves with experience.
4. Enables Students to Progress to Other Education or Training Programmes
When a student has the RPL, it enables them to progress to other education or training programmes. It is a quick pathway to the higher TAFE qualification or a university degree. If you’ve been thinking about going back to school, this can make the process much easier.
Whether you want a painting RPL, building RPL, or any other RPL qualification you can earn your stripes through any RPL organisation such as Qualify Me!
As you likely already have many of the required skills, it won’t take too much time or effort to earn your qualification.
Once you’ve done this, you can go on to complete studies in many educational institutions in Australia.
5. Eliminates Unnecessary Repetition and Duplication of Material Already Familiar to Students
Additionally, the RPL eliminates unnecessary repetition and duplication of material already familiar to the students. As a result, this reduces the unnecessary education and training that the candidate doesn’t want and already has in him or her.
This is because the course is quick, easy, and fruitful. When you start your RPL, you’ll meet with someone who will take a look at what skills you already have.
Then, they’ll document how this experience adds up to what you need to earn the qualification. Sometimes, this will include video documentation of you completing tasks.
If there are any areas where you have to improve, this is the only additional work you’ll have to complete. This helps participants re-enter the workplace with better knowledge.
Then, you’ll be well on your way to earning your RPL and completely improving your career.
This is especially helpful if you’re an immigrant who has prior work experience in your home country or a qualification that isn’t usable in Australia. The RPL improves the international immigration and visa process.
6. Shortens the Time Necessary to Earn a Qualification
Getting an RPL also shortens the time necessary to earn a qualification. This motivates students who might otherwise be discouraged by the length required to complete a college-level course or a particular programme of study.
It can feel daunting, if you’ve been working for a long time but haven’t been back to school in a while, to have to go back to the classroom.
Additionally, enrolment in a course that takes a lot of time and commitment is not only a big investment of your time but also keeps you from being able to work as much as you want to.
The RPL is the perfect solution. You can still earn a qualification that improves your career whilst not giving up too much time or money.
7. Enhances Students’ Pride and Self-Esteem for What They Have Accomplished As Learners
Too often, people who work in industries such as construction, electric services, and painting do not have enough pride or self-esteem for what they do. Because these are seen as “working class” industries, it’s easy to see less value in them.
However, nothing could be farther from the truth. These are careers that require both hard work and high intelligence.
When students start working on their RPL qualification, they are able to see how much they have accomplished as learners on the job.
They’ll see that there’s value to every skill they’ve learned and every achievement they’ve accomplished. As a result, their pride and self-esteem for what they have accomplished as learners will be enhanced.
8. Enhances Students’ Perception and Understanding of Learning as Lifelong Process
Finally, the RPL enhances students’ perception and understanding of learning as a lifelong process. When they’re earning the RPL, they see that everything they have learned at work is worthy of the qualification they’re going to earn.
They come to understand that, throughout their lives, they have been learning worthwhile skills.
Then, when they complete the RPL, they’ll add additional skills so that they can earn the qualification.
This might inspire them to go on to continue complementary studies or to learn more skills on the job in new, more challenging roles. This will set up those with an RPL to be learners for life.
Getting the RPL
Now that you’ve learned about the 8 benefits of RPL, you might need additional information. Maybe you want to learn about what’s required for you to do to earn the RPL qualification. Or maybe you want to find out where you can get the RPL.
Whatever information you need, we can help. At Qualify Me, we’re experts when it comes to the RPL. We also offer the RPL qualification. To learn more about how we can help you, contact us now.
