Recognition of Prior Learning

Examples of evidence

If you wish to apply for RPL, you need to provide evidence of your current competency such as:

• a work resume and position description
• education and training records, including in-house and any professional development training
• details of in-house courses, workshops, seminars, orientation or induction sessions
• supervisor reports, references/letters from previous employers/supervisors
• client testimonials
• work documentation (with client's personal details removed), which you have created/utilised.

What if I don't have documentary evidence?

Not having kept a complete record of documentary evidence should not deter you from seeking RPL as the assessor will work with you during the RPL process. As an alternative to documentation, you may choose to demonstrate your competency in an interview, answering questions or completing an assessment.

Additional information for evidence gathering for RPL

The following three types of evidence can be collected and presented and will probably be required:

1. products of work
2. personal reports
3. witness testimony.

1. Products of work

This type of evidence is further divided into "direct" and "indirect" evidence. While direct evidence is usually regarded as more valid, your assessor will expect to see both types. For example, as well as seeing financial plans prepared for clients, an assessor would also want to see witness testimony which shows that those plans were authentic, were applied and proved useful.

Direct evidence is any of your own work, ie work which you have either produced or been primarily responsible for, including:

• correspondence with clients or with other professionals
• internal communications (memos, file notes and emails)
• financial, administration and lifestyle plans
• record keeping systems
• operations schedules
• appraisals or team reviews
• desktop publishing
• spreadsheets
• procedures
• statements of accounts
• video of presentations
• audio cassettes of meetings or interviews
• budgets.

Indirect evidence is gathered from others and is about you as the RPL applicant. It includes:

• minutes of meetings in which you participated or which you facilitated
• media articles which refer positively to you
• thank you letters
• awards, prizes, certificates or other forms of commendation
• witness testimony
• self-appraisal.

2. Personal reports

The personal report plays three key roles in helping prove your competence:

• It provides a clear and concise explanation to the assessor of what you do in your job, and is related to the competency and performance criteria which you claim. Evidence of a kind specific to your organisation or industry sector must be translated so that the assessor can understand it. For example, if you work in a Public Trust Office with trust-related procedures specific to your organisation, explain these procedures in plain English.
• It gives you an opportunity to explain why you do your work in a particular way and why, in particular work contexts, you did what you did. The personal report allows you to show that you can handle a range of situations. It also helps to highlight the knowledge, skills and understanding required to do the job. Therefore, it augments the evidence, because you can explain how and why your evidence meets the standards for personal trust work, in terms of being authentic, consistent, current, reliable, sufficient and valid.
• It gives you the opportunity to reflect on what you know and can do. Keep your personal report simple and concise, reflecting action taken, knowledge and understanding. Number the points for easy reference, and include a brief description of the context in which your work was carried out.

Details of actions taken

Details of actions taken should include an explanation of:

• how the evidence relates to your actions
• why certain decisions were made
• what factors influenced the outcome
• the underpinning knowledge and understanding drawn upon in each instance (eg did you have to follow company policy or any specific legislation; and what underlying principles were applied?)
• the planning processes used
• your decisions regarding follow-up
• identification of any other situations handled in a similar way.

Remember that the personal report cannot stand alone as sufficient evidence of competence. If the assessor needs more information and/or clarification, they will contact you to arrange an oral interview or some other form of assessment.

3. Witness testimony

Witness testimony is indirect evidence about you, and includes:

• letters from other (eg managers, customers, collegues and previous bosses) supporting your claim
• reports by a manager who saw and/or supervised these specific activities (eg meetings, interviews and presentations)
• results of questionnaires, surveys or critiques initiated by you or your team.

Witness testimony should be useful feedback, not merely a "reference", and should contain:

• a company heading
• supervisor/manager's name
• the period of employment
• a list of the competencies claimed and demonstrated
• a statement of verification by the supervisor or manager (eg "I, X verify that Y demonstrated the following competencies in their work"), showing that person's position and signature
• the date.