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Supporting Material

Recognition

What is Recognition?

Recognition is a process. Usually two people are involved, a learner and an assessor. The assessor belongs to a Registered Training Organisation (such as a TAFE, or perhaps a workplace) and the learner is seeking to have their current knowledge, skills and attitudes recognised so they don’t have to repeat training.

The learner provides evidence of their current knowledge, skills and attitudes. The assessor uses rules to measure this against the Units of Competency that the learner is seeking Recognition for.

Why use a Recognition process?

By going through the Recognition process you can gain a formal Statement of Attainment for one or several Units of Competency or gain an entire qualification without having to attend/undertake training. The idea of Recognition is to accept and reward knowledge, skills and attitudes that have been achieved in a wide variety of ways. The process is much faster than undertaking the training. Recognition should also be cost effective for the person seeking it. So, Recognition saves you time and money.

What is the difference between RPL and RCC?

RPL stands for Recognition of Prior Learning. Many years ago if you were undertaking a course and wished to get exemption from a subject or unit, the only way to do so was to show that you had studied exactly that same unit already. This was seen as unfair and inflexible. Many people have developed knowledge, skills and attitudes from other areas of their life besides exactly matching previous formal study. It was decided that there should be a way for people to show that they already had the outcome from a unit of study. The process called Recognition of Prior Learning was established and this allowed that people could demonstrate via paperwork, or discussion or both, that they already had the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for that unit of study. They also had to show how they had achieved this. It might have been through previous formal study, previous or current work, or life experience.

RCC or Recognition of Current Competency grew out of and replaced RPL. With courses becoming Competency Based, the Units of Competency were now used as the benchmark for assessing whether or not somebody is competent. The other keyword is “current”. Under RPL someone could demonstrate that they had undertaken some learning in the past and be granted RPL. However, they may no longer have had the knowledge, skills or attitudes required. RCC asks that the person seeking Recognition of their learning can demonstrate that their knowledge, skills and attitudes are current.

Further Information

What is evidence?
Examples of evidence