There’s no better time to have your skills and experience recognised than now!
Click here to download a guide on the RPL process at Kimberley Training Institute. More information is below.
Your First Step- What is RPL?
At Kimberley Training Institute we recognise that people gain skills and knowledge in a variety of ways. Formal education at school, TAFE, or university isn’t the only way people can learn. Many highly skilled people have gained and developed their skills through different pathways such as paid employment, community work, volunteering and participating in informal training.
Skills developed this way are very valuable to employers and communities. The people who have them have usually spent many years training in the workplace.
It can often be important to be able to demonstrate your skills to a potential employer. Sometime this can be difficult when you do not have qualifications on paper to show them. Having your skills formally recognised in a nationally accredited system can really boost your resume and open doors for new employment opportunities. You can also use your recognised skills as a path way to further training – perhaps even take a step towards a new career.
To have skills formally recognised assessors must make sure you have the skill to the industry standard. This means that you will need to provide evidence. You and the assessor will work together to identify what evidence you have, and to identify whether it meets the industry standard. You may find that you do have all the skills for a qualification, or the assessor might recommend some further training to help you to get one.
Recognition of skills is an investment in yourself and could be your pathway to a better job but like most things it does take a commitment of your time and money.
Steps to get your skills recognised
Step 1: Contact Kimberley Training Institute Contact us on 1300 996 573 or email us at info@kti.wa.edu.au to find out how the skills recognition process works. You may be provided with a self-assessment checklist for the qualification for which you are seeking recognition.
Step 2: Talk with one of our industry experts about your skills and knowledge. When you’ve had a chance to consider the self assessment, contact Kimberley Training Institute and we will set up an appointment between yourself and the relevant lecturer. This talk will be the first step in explaining to the lecturer what skills and knowledge you possess relevant to the qualification. Prepare for your talk by gathering any documentary evidence you may have to support your claim for recognition and bring it along with you. For example: job descriptions, records of employment, references from employers and any other evidence that is relevant to the work that you do. You can bring someone with you if you feel they can help to support you in demonstrating your skills.
Step 3: What other evidence is required? After evaluating your evidence, the lecturer will make a judgment about what further evidence you might need to provide. This may involve observing you in the workplace or in a similar environment. It may also involve the lecturer contacting employers/referees to confirm what you have told them. Please note: The assessor will only contact employers/referees with your approval.
Step 4: Assessment is finalised Once all of your evidence is gathered and submitted, the lecturer will let you know which skills have been recognised. Dependent on what you have been able to demonstrate, you may receive recognition for a full or part qualification. If you receive recognition for part of a qualification, the lecturer will also discuss with you what training you will need to do to attain full recognition of the qualification.
Tips and hints that may assist you
- The lecturer must make sure you can demonstrate skills to the accredited industry standard. To do this, you will be involved in a careful and comprehensive process that covers the content of the qualification for which you are seeking recognition.
- Come prepared to talk about your job roles and your work history. If you have a current resume or position descriptions, bring them along. If you do not, you could jot down a few points about where you have worked, either paid or unpaid, and what you did there. The assessor will ask questions to help you talk about the right aspects.
- Consider the possibilities of a workplace visit. Are you in a workplace that is supporting your goals to get qualified? Would you feel comfortable to have the assessor visit your workplace so you can show your skill first hand?
- Think about who can confirm your skill level. Think about current or recent supervisors who have seen you work and will be able to confirm your skills. We may need to contact them or have them available during a workplace visit. You may have community contacts or even clients who can confirm your skills.
- Collect any certificates from in-house training or other training you have completed. These can help to show how you have learned and demonstrated the skills.
- Think about how you keep up with changes in the industry you are working in. Perhaps you have read industry magazines at lunchtime or attended information sessions. These can help show how you keep up with changes in your industry.
- Think about anything else that helps to confirm your skill. These could be letters from employers or clients, workplace documents, photos, or other relevant documents. If you think it will help to show your skills then bring it along.
Like to know more?
For further information contact:
Kimberley Training Institute
PO Box 1380, Broome WA 6725
Ph:
1300 996 573
Email:
info@kti.wa.edu.au