Recognition of prior learning (RPL) and credit transfer within VET courses
- What is RPL and credit transfer?
- RPL and credit transfer within VET courses
- Application process
- RPL and credit transfer in more than one VET course
- Exclusions between VET courses
- Examples of scenarios for RPL or credit transfer
- Links
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Refer to Recognition of Prior Learning for the Higher School Certificate for information about RPL and credit transfer for the Higher School Certificate.
What is RPL and credit transfer?
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and credit transfer refer to the acknowledgement of evidence of a student’s achievement of competencies or learning outcomes. They are processes that allow students to have their previous learning – both formal and informal – count towards their School Certificate (SC) or Higher School Certificate (HSC) VET courses and AQF VET qualifications.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is an assessment process that assesses the individual student’s non-formal and informal learning to determine the extent to which that individual has achieved the competency standards.
Credit transfer
Credit transfer is a process that provides credit for a unit of competency previously achieved.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and credit transfer within VET courses
Students can be granted credit (recognition of prior learning or credit transfer) for:
- units of competency within AQF VET qualifications
- School Certificate (SC) or HSC VET course outcomes and content as defined by the indicative hour requirements of SC or HSC VET courses
- mandatory work placement requirements.
Students may be awarded recognition for:
- units of competency achieved in another VET course (whether the VET course is undertaken as a part of their School Certificate (SC) or HSC, or as an independent activity outside of their SC or HSC)
- learning and experiences gained outside VET courses that are awarded through RPL.
Refer to Official Notice BOS 16/09 – Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer within VET Courses
RPL and credit transfer for SC/HSC Indicative hour requirements
Where a student is granted credit through RPL or credit transfer for units of competency in one or more VET courses, they are not required to undertake additional units of competency to meet the SC/HSC VET course indicative hour requirements.
RPL and credit transfer for HSC Requirements and Advice in Industry Curriculum Frameworks
Where a unit of competency has been awarded through RPL or credit transfer, the RTO delivering the HSC course is responsible for determining any gaps in learning for the HSC Requirements and Advice relating to that unit of competency and to provide a program which enables the student to address the identified gaps.
RPL and credit transfer and the optional HSC examination
Access to the optional HSC examination for VET Industry Curriculum Framework courses is restricted to students undertaking the corresponding 240-hour course.
Students who have been granted credit through RPL or credit transfer for some or all units of competency in an Industry Curriculum Framework course will still be eligible to undertake the optional HSC examination provided they have met the requirements of the respective 240-hour course.
It is the responsibility of the school/RTO delivering the HSC course to support HSC examination preparation for students who intend to undertake the optional HSC examination and who have been granted credit through RPL or credit transfer for some or all examinable units of competency.
Estimated examination mark
It is the responsibility of the school/RTO delivering the HSC VET course to determine an appropriate estimated exam mark for all students entered for the optional HSC VET examination. This includes students who have been granted credit through RPL or credit transfer for some or all of the examinable units of competency.
For furthering information about the estimated examination mark refer to Section 8.13.7.1 of the Assessment, Certification and Examination (ACE) Manual available on the Board’s website.
RPL for work placement
RPL may be granted for mandatory work placement requirements. Students’ outside employment (ie not under the auspices of the school) may be recognised towards the requirement for work placement in a VET course. Refer to Section 8.4.7.2 of the Assessment, Certification and Examination (ACE) Manual for further advice.
Credit transfer cannot be granted for work placement as no formal learning and assessment program is deemed to be equivalent.
Applying for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and credit transfer within VET courses
It is the responsibility of the student to initiate applications to the school/RTO delivering the SC/HSC VET course. Schools/colleges and Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) should support students in completing their application.
An RTO with the AQF VET qualification on their scope that RPL and/or credit transfer is being claimed against must be involved in the process.
- Application for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and/or credit transfer within School Certificate (SC) or Higher School Certificate (HSC) VET courses
- Published 19 May 2009
- Flowchart of processes for determining RPL/credit transfer for unit(s) of competency and SC/HSC indicative hour requirements
- Published 19 May 2009
- Flowchart of processes for determining RPL for work placement requirements
- Published 19 May 2009
- Reporting and credentialling credit granted through RPL/credit transfer within VET courses
- Published 19 May 2009
The Board of Studies has delegated to principals the authority to assess and approve applications for RPL or credit transfer for School Certificate or HSC VET course outcomes and content as defined by the indicative hour requirements for the SC or HSC VET course and the mandatory work placement requirements.
Informing students on the result of their application
Principals should formally inform students of the outcome of their application for RPL or credit transfer for the School Certificate or HSC VET course and what this outcome means for the student.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and credit transfer for students studying more than one VET course
Some units of competency may be included in a range of different VET courses in various industry areas. It is possible that a student may undertake different VET courses that include common units of competency.
Once a student has achieved a unit of competency in one School Certificate (SC) or HSC VET course (either via assessment, RPL or credit transfer) the unit should then be awarded as credit transfer in other SC or HSC VET courses. The SC/HSC indicative hours for the unit of competency should be counted towards the indicative hour requirements for each SC/HSC VET course. Students awarded RPL or credit transfer within a SC/HSC VET course are not required to undertake additional units of competency to meet the course requirements.
Exclusions between VET courses
Where there is significant overlap between VET courses the Board will apply an exclusion between the VET courses. Some specific exclusions also apply between VET courses and other general education courses.
Details of Exclusions applying to the Industry Curriculum Frameworks can be found on the Vocational Education page of the Boards website.
Details of exclusions applying to Board Endorsed VET courses can be found in the Stage 5 and Stage 6 VET Board Endorsed Course Descriptions on the Vocational Education page of the Board’s website.
Examples of scenarios for RPL or credit transfer
Example 1 – A student who already holds an AQF VET qualification
Scenario
A student is enrolled in Retail Services (240 indicative hours) and has achieved Certificate II in Retail outside of schooling through a part-time traineeship.
The student has applied for:
- credit transfer for the units of competency that are included in the 240-hour Retail Services course – this equates to the full 240-hour course
- RPL for the mandatory work placement requirements.
The student wishes to undertake the optional HSC examination.
Process
The school/RTO delivering the HSC course reviews the evidence provided by the student and determines that the student is granted:
- credit transfer for units of competency achieved
- credit for HSC indicative hours for units of competency achieved – they will not be required to undertake any additional units of competency
- RPL for mandatory work placement requirements based on the workplace experience that they have completed as a part of their traineeship.
The student is required to undertake some study to address gaps in learning they have in relation to the HSC Requirements and Advice for the examinable units of competency.
The student is eligible to undertake the optional HSC Retail Services examination in the year in which they are enrolled in the course. The school/RTO will determine an appropriate estimated exam mark and will provide the student with learning opportunities/a program to support their HSC examination preparation.
The school will enrol the student in the full 240-hour course in one year (4 units x 1 year) and enter the outcomes for the units of competency as credit transfer. They will also enrol the student in the Retail Services Examination.
Example 2 – A student who has experience in the industry but holds no formal qualifications
Scenario
A student lives on a property and works as a farm hand before and after school. The student is enrolled in Primary Industries (240 indicative hours).
The student has applied for RPL for:
- 50 indicative hours of units of competency that are mandatory for HSC course
- 70 indicative hours of units of competency that are elective for HSC course
- the 70 hour mandatory work placement requirement.
The student wishes to undertake the optional HSC examination.
Process
The school/RTO reviews the evidence provided by the student and assesses the student. The outcome of the assessment results in the student being granted:
- achievement of all of the units of competency assessed through RPL
- credit for 120 HSC indicative hours for the units of competency awarded through RPL – the student will not be required to undertake any additional units of competency to make up the indicative hours which have been awarded RPL.
Under the provisions in Section 8.4.7.2 in the Assessment, Certification and Examination (ACE) Manual the school grants the student RPL for 50% of the mandatory work placement requirement.
The student is required to:
- complete the remaining HSC VET course requirements (80 HSC indicative hours of mandatory units of competency, and 40 HSC indicative hours of elective units)
- undertake some study to address gaps in learning they have in relation to the HSC Requirements and Advice for the units of competency awarded through RPL
- complete the remaining 50% of the mandatory work placement requirement.
The school will enrol the student in the full 240-hour course in one year (4 units in 1 year) and enter the outcomes for the units of competency assessed as RPL.
The school has decided to timetable the student into the Year 12 class while they are in Year 11 to complete the remaining 120 hours of units of competency.
The student is eligible to undertake the optional HSC Primary Industries examination and could choose to do so at the end of Year 11.
The school makes provisions so that the student can undertake a 120-hour specialisation study or extension course in Year 12 and gain higher level AQF VET qualifications or valued skills sets.
Example 3 – A student who is undertaking more than one VET course with common units of competency
Scenario
A student has completed a first aid course as a part of their HSC PDHPE course.
The student also studies Construction (240 indicative hours) and Primary Industries (240 indicative hours).
The student has applied for RPL for the unit of competency RTC2704A Provide basic first aid (10 indicative hours) which is compulsory/mandatory for both of the HSC VET courses they are undertaking.
Process
The school/RTO reviews the evidence provided by the student and assesses the student as a part of one of the HSC VET courses (in this case Primary Industries).
As a result the students is:
- awarded RPL for RTC2704A Provide basic first aid in Primary Industries. This is entered in Schools Online as ‘RPL’ for this unit of competency in the Primary Industries course.
- subsequently awarded credit transfer for RTC2704A Provide basic first aid in Construction. This is entered in Schools Online as ‘credit transfer’ for this unit of competency in the Construction course.
- given credit for the 10 HSC indicative hours for RTC2704A Provide basic first aid in both VET courses – they will not be required to undertake any additional units of competency in either course to make up these 10 hours.
The student is required to:
- undertake some study to address any gaps in learning they may have in relation to the HSC Requirements and Advice for RTC2704A Provide basic first aid (this may include contextualising the unit to each HSC VET course)
- complete the remaining HSC course requirements.
Links
The NSW Department of Education and Training Skills Recognition website contains a range of information and resources which may assist schools/RTOs and students with regards to RPL and credit transfer including advice about gathering evidence, making an application, and a self-recognition tool. Go to www.skillsrecognition.nsw.gov.au
Frequently asked questions
Under development