Skills Education

Stepping forward with RPL in 2026

As Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) re-enters the regulatory spotlight, this complimentary live session is designed especially to highlight the five steps RTOs can take to enhance their internal capability for effective RPL.

With no cost to register for the live event, this professional development is offered to support RTOs in the Australian VET sector.

RPL is not suddenly "mandatory again" under the 2025 Standards for RTOs - it's been a staple requirement for the last ten years under the Standards for RTOs 2015. However, over time, practices have resulted in feedback such as:

• "it's too hard - it'll be easier for you to just do the course"
• "I don't like assessing RPL; takes too long and there's a mountain of paperwork"
• "why am I forced to learn [again!] what I already know?"
• "I'm a qualified assessor but I don't actually feel that confident to do RPL"

AND, the national VET regulator, ASQA has RPL as one of its regulatory risk priorities. Yes, this is, in part, because of bad actors and fraudsters operating RPL mills and churning out certificates for qualifications without proper assessment. However, that also means everyone offering RPL is under the spotlight.

Add into the mix the current climate in VET with reduced funding, cost of living etc., and you have a sector under pressure. 

The recent Productivity Commission report pointed to RPL again and again as a means to drive productivity (because it allows for faster qualification pathways, efficient upskilling and reskilling, and better skills utilisation by formalising existing expertise). 

So, in consideration of all of the above, we're proud to bring you this session which will step through 5 fundamentals for boosting your own RTO's capability for efficient RPL that will not give a repeat of the feedback that's crept in on the back of common practice.

Shared with audiences will be details for these five steps:   

1. Engaging all staff
2. Effectively handling RPL enquiries with the potential candidate in mind - and converting those enquiries to enrolments
3. Identifying and investing in RPL staff
4. Developing RPL tools appropriate for the circumstance
5. Developing the RPL process - and why it comes last

Complimentary registration is for the live event. Recording (and if applicable, handouts) are only available for professional learning group members (RPL Matters / Education Matters), PD MAX ticket holders, or by later, paid registration.

Registration follows usual Ts and Cs