RPL
Recognition of prior learning refers to identifying, documenting, and recognising learning outcomes in formal and informal settings. While many people use their previous professional experience to secure qualifications through RPL, in reality, any experience can count! Volunteering is an excellent way to build business skills. The knowledge you gain from volunteering can be applied in many different settings, such as charity shops or even when running your own company! For example- if there was one thing I learned at my last job, it’s how important customer service is; they make people happy and give back something valuable: loyalty towards brands, which means more sales for everyone involved.
Volunteering and the labour market
Volunteers occupy a surprisingly large section of the workforce, with almost one-third of Australians aged 15 and over participating in voluntary work in 2019. During this time, these workers contributed approximately 596 million hours to the community and, more broadly, helped the national economy. According to the Australia Bureau of Statistics, 61% of people volunteer for one type of organisation, covering anything from sports and recreation groups to education and health and welfare organisations. From SAS work through to meal prep for the aged, volunteers are often responsible for many important societal roles. With a wide variety of skills that can be gained through unpaid volunteer roles, it makes sense that it can be used for an RPL application!
What do I need for my volunteer work to be used in RPL:
While there is no one road to acquiring qualifications through RPL, the process does require evidence to support your volunteer skills and experience. This can take many forms, including:
- References from current or former supervisors in your volunteer role
- Current or former volunteer contracts signed
- Volunteer position descriptions
- Recent and up-to-date Resume / CV with your skills
- Statutory declaration for evidence not able to be shown
- Photographs of work undertaken
- Diaries/task sheets/job sheets/logbooks
- Membership in relevant professional associations
In short, any relevant documentation can be used to support your experience and knowledge. If you find it difficult to obtain this evidence, contact the organisation you worked for to see if you’re still on their records. Official documentation of this nature can be used. Feel free to contact us and discuss this; we’re RPL specialists and can help you with every step.
Why Choose RPL?
Traditionally, training programs demand students to devote significant time to their studies to acquire a certificate. This approach is replaced by the RPL certificate, allowing persons with extensive industry knowledge and expertise to earn their certifications much faster.
Depending on your relevant experience and documentation, you can anticipate acquiring your qualifications in weeks, not years. RPL is also less expensive than typical programs because you only pay for the evaluation of your documentation rather than the complete course; why pay for something you already know? Furthermore, it provides an opportunity to be formally recognised for your charity or volunteer work in a way that can help boost your career and resume.
How RPL Works:
The first step is to complete our FREE RPL assessment form. This will start the process and give you an idea of what you could be eligible for. The process involves adding as much evidence of your volunteer work as possible—the more, the better!
Our team then evaluates your documentation to see if it meets the learning outcomes for any of our courses. If there is any issue or if more documentation is required, we’ll contact you to discuss.
We provide a list of eligible qualifications depending on the evidence and if it meets all required learning outcomes. Some more advanced certificates may require minimal additional study. This will be covered and explained as part of the RPL process.
You select the qualification you’d like and pay the required fee. Your email address will receive electronic copies, and your postal address will receive hard copies. That’s it; you’re done!
Contact Us to Discuss
Volunteering is a great way to build skills and help the community. If you need any help throughout the RPL process or would like to discuss your options, get in touch! Our team are specialists in the RPL and can help you achieve your learning goals.
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