Frequently Asked Questions

We at Trades College Australia want you to have the best up to date information.

These questions have been comprised so you can commence your course.

At this stage we do not offer RPL courses. But we can still advise you how to get certified.

Question 1 I am not sure what Recognised Prior Learning means (the RPL process), can you explain it to me?

Answer: If you have been working in the building and construction industry (e.g. as a carpenter) for about two years, you would have completed a lot of different skills and tasks under supervision on a building site (framing walls, eaves etc.). We want you to let us know about your existing skills, knowledge and experience gained throughout your working life, regardless of how they have been acquired. All of these skills you have developed will go towards your past experience and count towards your qualification.

Question 2 How is this evidenced used to help me get my qualification?

Answer: Depending on which qualification you are applying for; each course has a number of skill areas that must be demonstrated and these are called Units of Competency. These industry-based skills are what you need to be deemed competent.

Question 3 Ok, I have done a lot of different types of work for my employer on site, what sort of information do I need to have as evidence to prove that I have done these skills and activities?

Answer: You will be required to supply different types of evidence.  You will need to provide this, and this will depend upon the RPL trade you are applying for. Evidence examples that your assessor may need could be:

  • photos of video of you completing a task or work skill,
  • bills of purchase of equipment or materials, invoices of work completed (with an outline of work done),
  • manager and/or supervisors’ references stating or outlining what you have done and over and the periods of time you have been employed
  • your CV (or resume) outlining your working experience
  • some types of proof of employment (that includes: Taxation Group Certificates, Statements of Service on an official company letterhead, your bank statements showing regular wage payments, and pay slips over your periods of employment
  • a job description (that includes: your job title, the primary objectives of your job role, the roles and responsibilities of your job role, and some of the specific accountabilities you have done)
  • any trade qualifications or licences you have obtained either here in Australia or overseas (we will assist you to make sure everything you provide is adequate)
  • sometimes your assessor may require some other parts of evidence, this will be discussed during the RPL process

Question 4 This seems to be a lot of work here, how do I know what information is important or not to submit to you?

Answer: Our trainer/assessors are industry experts and hold all the most recent qualifications. They know exactly what evidence you need to produce depending on your experience. Our assessors will talk to you and personalise what evidence is needed from you to make sure only the best evidence is gathered.

Question 5 How do I know that my personal information I give you is safe?

Answer: We must uphold the Privacy Act (1988) which is an Australian law which regulates the handling of your personal information. We must keep your information secure and only the correct people have access to it.

Question 6 I understand that evidence gathering is very important, what else do I have to do?

Answer: Your dedicated assessor will need to spend some time with you and ask a series of questions about your work skills and experience to compile what is needed. Sometimes, depending of the trade qualification, you may have to display the practical tasks in our simulated workplace to make sure it complies with the relevant skills council’s requirements.

Question 7 I want to get a licence, how do I do this?

Answer: Obtaining a licence starts by getting your qualification. Different states and territories have their own rules on how a particular licence is issued. We can assist how to approach the specific government department, so you can apply for your licence.

Question 8 How do I start my RPL process?

Answer: When you call us, we will ascertain your needs and hand you over to one of our student advisors who will gather as much information and then pass this over to an assessor who will outline the RPL procedure. We will then book you in for a formal conversation with the assessor to complete the RPL process.

Do you have a question?

Free assessment today to get you on your way.