Who can apply for Skills Recognition?

Anyone who has the skills and knowledge required to do a job to workplace standards can apply for Skills Recognition. Experience may have been gained in many different ways.

When you apply for Skills Recognition you will have to show that you have the skills and knowledge that you claim to have.

You will need to provide evidence of your skills and knowledge, and an assessor will make a judgement (based on this evidence) about your competence. This process is called 'assessment'.

You should apply for Skills Recognition if you: (Note: click on the link at the end of each statement to find out what the most appropriate assessment process would be, and an explanation of what you would have to do)

• want existing skills and knowledge recognised to save time and shorten (or eliminate) the length of time required to study to gain a formal qualification (RPL/RCC);
• have evidence of existing skills and knowledge available, or can prove through a practical demonstration that you can meet the competencies required to perform the task (RPL/RCC);
• have acquired skills through formal training, and want these recognised for additional training you may be seeking to undertake (Credit Transfer);
• have undertaken training overseas and want recognition of this training in Australia (Overseas Equivalence);
• have not completed Year 10 (or Year 12) at school, and now wish to enrol at TAFE in a full-time course (RPL for Entry)

It is the role of the Assessor from the RTO, in consultation with you, to decide which process is the most appropriate for your circumstances.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

You will be required to provide evidence to an assessor of the skills and knowledge that you have gained in a previous work, life or training experience. Some of the types of evidence you could provide includes:

• written references and/or the names of referees
• reports - photos or videos of your workmanship
• certificates
• samples of your work
• diary or journal records
• letters of support from people you have worked for
• group certificates (paid or unpaid)
• practical demonstration

IMPORTANT: The skills and knowledge that you have obtained in a prior experience must be current, ie you can still do today what you learned yesterday/last year, etc.

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Recognition of Current Competencies

RCC is another term that is used by Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) when describing a process similar to RPL. Some RTOs prefer this term because if focuses on the term 'current competencies'.

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Credit Transfer

If you have undertaken some training at a TAFE College or other Registered Training Organisation (RTO), the RTO you have applied to for Skills Recognition may give a standard level of credit or formal recognition to you. This process is used when you are enrolling in a training course and want credit for prior training to reduce the time you need to attend. This process may also be referred to as "exemptions" or "advanced standing".

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Overseas Equivalence

If you have studied overseas, this process may recognise those studies and you will be issued with a Statement of Equivalence. This Statement may be used to access further training in Australia, to get RPL for an Australian qualification, or to show at job interviews.

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RPL for Entry

You may have left school before you completed Year 10, and now you want to enrol in a full-time TAFE Course. RPL for Entry has been developed to enable you to meet the minimum entrance requirements (which will be either minimum Year 10, Year 11 or Year 12), and will make you eligible for a place at TAFE. Currently, the program areas where this is available is limited (Refer to: TAFE Admissions - Mature Age Applicants)

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