You need to read this information before conducting an RPL assessment. It outlines the intent and purpose surrounding Recognition of Prior Learning and how it differs from assessment undertaken following formal training. A sound knowledge of the principles of assessment and the rules of evidence is essential. Subject matter knowledge of the qualification is also most important.
Consider: "What will a competent person look like?"
RPL assessment involves making an assessment decision based on your professional judgment. Evaluating RPL evidence must be done according to the training package and must include each aspect of the unit of competency being assessed:
RPL Assess provides Assessors with the unit of competency being assessed, integrated within online assessment system.
It is recommended that you discuss the unit of competency being assessed with the RPL Applicant:
Assessors should feel confident the evidence submitted by the RPL Applicant is authentic. It may be beneficial to make contact with the employers/referees/training oganisations early in the recognition process. The purpose is to confirm the evidence is genuine.
A second method to verify the RPL Applicant’s skills and knowledge is to arrange a competency conversation. Prepare a series of question that only a person who genuinely has the skills and experience would be able to answer satisfactorily. Select and use specific questions to start a conversation with the RPL Applicant that ‘draws out’ their actual individual experiences and relevant skills. Ideally, draw out further information that may not have been forthcoming due to nerves or confusion over technical terminology.
Economical options to facilitate the competency conversation include Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) like Skype or Facetime.
Record the conversation and add the file (video, audio) to the RPL Applicant's evidence. RPL Assess allows the Assessor to add further evidence to the RPL Application where required.
In some cases it may be necessary to directly observe the RPL Applicant. A couple of examples might include: driving a machine; erecting scaffolding; irrigating crops; applying massage therapy and so on.
Discuss with your RTO the most suitable solution. You may visit the RPL Applicant's work site, observe and record (video, photo, audio) the activity. Alternately, you may ask the RPL Applicant to provide you with a video, photo or audio recording of the skill being assessed.
RPL Assess allows the Assessor to add further evidence to the RPL Application where required.
At all times be sure to make clear and accurate notes that will support your assessment decision and professional judgment.
VET sector requirements, auditors, Standards for RTOs and industry generally are driving RTOs and Assessors for more detail.
Make a note of the time you spent assessing this Student's work.
Notes will become more critical where the Student's response is initially Not Yet Satisfactory and a second or subsequent attempt is required.
Consider the concept: 'more is better'. The more notes, detail, relevant evidence, and verification you can include, the better.
Your RTO has created your Assessor's profile. The Assessment Online system will send you an email asking you to Verify Your Registration.
Read the notes in your email and click the Verify Your Registration icon.
The RPL assess system will ask you to select your password. You're in control. Select a password that's easy to remember, make a note and save it in a secure location.
The RPL Assess system will then open your Dashboard. Using your web browser, save your Dashboard to Favorites or Bookmarks. In the future you can now return to your dashboard quickly and easily.
Your RTO has assigned a Student and unit of competency for the Student.
Refer to the Student you would like to assess and click on the relevant unit of competency. Be sure it is identified as the RPL unit.
When the next page opens, refer to: Student Supporting Documents. You'll see each of the items of evidence submitted by the Student.
Click on the: 'Instructions' tab and read the instructions before commencing.
To record a satisfactory assessment result, each aspect of the unit of competency must have 100 points of evidence assigned to it - via the RPL process.
Refer to: 'Student Supporting Documents' near the top of your screen.
Click on the first item of evidence. You will see a window open to the right. Add a numeric value (weighting) for this item of evidence. You are in control. Base the numeric value on your experience as an Assessor and your knowledge of the unit of competency being assessed.
Continue to add a numerical value to each item of evidence.
Click on: 'Criteria'. This will open a list of the Performance Criteria for this unit of competency.
Click on the green icon to the right of the Performance Criteria. This will open a prompt: 'Type name of document'
Refer to the file name (above) of the first item of RPL Evidence you would like to assign against this Performance Criteria
Simply type the first 2 or 3 letters of the file name. You'll see a list of evidence files appear. Click on your selection.
Continue.
Not all items of evidence will be assigned to all Performance Criteria, Performance Evidence and Knowledge Evidence.
You should make a careful assessment judgment throughout this process.
If however, you would like to assign an item of evidence to the whole unit of competency click on the blue + (plus sign) icon to the left of the evidence. This piece of evidence will automatically be assigned and the numeric value added to each Performance Criteria, Performance Evidence and Knowledge Evidence. The system will ask for your confirmation.
As the Assessor, you should confirm that the RPL assessment process addresses the Conditions of Assessment.
Simply click on the declaration. The declaration will turn blue to acknowledge your affirmation.
Keeping Track
There are 2 barometer style sliding scales built into the RPL Assess system.
Firstly, as you assign the evidence to each Performance Criteria, Performance Evidence and Knowledge Evidence you'll see the corresponding sliding scale progressively increase. This confirms the evidence you've assigned and gives you guidance as to how much more evidence may be required.
Secondly, to keep track of the overall RPL process, refer to the sliding scale under the heading: 'Evaluation In Progress' near the middle of your computer screen.
When this sliding scale reaches 100%, sufficient evidence has been assigned across the whole unit of competency and you're ready to finalise and submit your assessment.
You can save your application and return to review or add evidence at any time.
As the Evaluation in Progress sliding scale reaches 100% and you're happy with the evidence that's been collected, submitted, assessed and assigned and you've added notes and information to support your assessment judgment, you can finalise and submit your work to the RTO.
This is your final response so be sure you're happy to move forward.
Click on: 'Grade this RPL Assessment'. This will open an option for a: 'Satisfactory' or 'Not Yet Satisfactory' result to be recorded.
Click: 'Satisfactory'
Where you've exhausted all avenues and the RPL Applicant is still not able to provide sufficient evidence to achieve a satisfactory result, you may click: 'Not Yet Satisfactory'.
When the assessment is finalised in this situation your RTO will discuss other options with the RPL Applicant.
Your RTO will receive notification you've submitted a final response. They will provide feedback on your result as soon as possible.
Move to the next unit of competency. Most RPL Applicants will seek to attain a full qualification so you'll work through a similar process for each unit for competency.
The RPL Applicants evidence will be automatically retained and available for you to assess against the next and subsequent units of competency.
Please note that the information provided in this section is a guide only. You may accept or reject these examples. It is ultimately the responsibility of the RPL Assessor to make a professional judgment based on the evidence provided. RPL Assess helps support and record that judgment in a user-friendly online platform.
| Resumé | 10 to 20 points |
A resume is useful to 'tie together' the RPL Applicant's work history. It is normally written by the RPL Applicant and subject to embellishment (in some cases) so a low numerical score of 10 to 20 points is recommended.
The resumé may be assigned to the individual, relevant Performance Criteria (PC), Performance Evidence (PE) and Knowledge Evidence (KE). It may be assigned to more than one PC, PE or KE. You also have the option to assign the resume to the entire unit of competency.
| Position Description - Current Employer | 50 to 70 points |
Consider, evaluate and assess how each key work activity described in the position description supports the Performance Criteria, Performance Evidence and Knowledge Evidence.
A current, detailed and accurate position description that spans 2 or more years is a very strong piece of evidence.
The current position description may be assigned to individual, relevant Performance Criteria, Performance Evidence and Knowledge Evidence. It may be assigned more than one PC, PE or KE. You also have the option to assign the position description to the entire unit of competency.
| Position Description - Previous Employer | 40 to 60 points |
Consider, evaluate and assess how each key work activity described in the position description supports the Performance Criteria, Performance Evidence and Knowledge Evidence.
A detailed and accurate position description that spans approximately 5 years is a strong piece of evidence. Part of your professional judgment as an Assessor will consider:
The position description may be assigned to individual, relevant Performance Criteria, Performance Evidence and Knowledge Evidence. It may be assigned more than one PC, PE or KE.
| Superseded Unit of Competency | 70 to 90 points |
Carefully map/cross-reference and assess the superseded unit of competency, available via https://training.gov.au/ against the current unit that's included within the RPL Assess system.
In many cases the superseded and current units of competency are very similar. A high numerical score may be appropriate and it may also be appropriate to assign this piece of evidence to the whole unit of competency.
| Older Unit of Competency | 20 to 60 points |
Carefully map/cross-reference and assess the older unit of competency, available via https://training.gov.au/ against the current unit that's included within the RPL Assess system.
Subject to the date the older unit was endorsed, the date is was superseded, training package changes and other factors the older unit may warrant a lower score.
| Non-Accredited Training | 20 to 40 points |
Source as much information as possible on the nature and content of the non-accredited training program. This may include asking your RPL Applicant to provide you with the course notes, learning outcomes, training material or curriculum they received during the training.
Carefully map/cross-reference and assess the non-accredited training against the current unit of competency that's included within the RPL Assess system.
The key consideration when assessing these types of evidence is - relevance.
This type of evidence will often support specific Performance Criteria, Performance Evidence of Knowledge Evidence. It may be used to 'fill a gap' that asks for evidence of practical skills, something that's difficult to demonstrate with documentary evidence.
References, Work orders, Client orders/requests, Work contracts, Relevant licenses or Tickets held, e.g. Forklift, Crane
Once again, the key consideration when assessing these types of evidence is - relevance.
This type of evidence will often support specific Performance Criteria, Performance Evidence or Knowledge Evidence.