Yalga-binbi Institute for Community Development

Recognition of Prior Learning

Many people who come to Yalga-binbi bring with them a background of skills and learning which can be relevant to their course of study.

People learn in many different ways during their lifetime:

• from life experience
• from work experience
• from education

What you learn in these ways before you apply for a course is your ‘prior learning’.

You may have already learned some of the things that the course aims to teach you (course outcomes). You do not need to learn these things again. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) compares your prior learning with the learning outcomes of your course so that you don’t study the thing you already know about.

Before this can happen you need to do a few things to gain this recognition.

1. You will need to look at your own skills and knowledge (prior learning) and write them down or tell someone at Yalga-binbi about them.
2. Then you need to compare your prior learning with the course outcomes for the course you plan to study.
3. Ask your teacher or contact person at Yalga-binbi for an RPL form. Your teacher or contact person can help you fill it in.

You may also need to get letters from people you have worked for, copies of your qualifications, photo samples from your work and you may need to show people what you can do.

The teacher and RPL adviser will ask you about your skills and see if they match up with the learning in the course. You will be asked to show evidence of your skills.