Transforming Professional Pathways with Recognition of Prior Learning

As we navigate through our careers in today's world, the way we learn and grow is constantly changing and adapting. Gone are the days when the norm was to leave school, secure a qualification, and remain in the same job for life. Instead, we're witnessing a change driven by the dynamic nature of work, technology, and societal shifts resulting in a stronger focus on skills, continuous professional development, lifelong learning and the necessity to provide pathways for reskilling and training in the workforce. As Cedefop has observed, ‘the urgency of lifelong learning has never been clearer’: the speed of change in the labour market and in wider society means that building skills throughout life is more important than ever.

In this edition of our RPL Newsletter, we would like to spend some time exploring in broader terms, the key role that RPL must play in helping to break the traditional boundaries of learning by recognising that valuable knowledge and skills are acquired, not just in formal settings but through life experiences, work, and informal learning avenues. In the context of the war-for-talent and skills shortages, RPL is a part of the solution.

What is RPL?

RPL is a process that allows individuals to gain academic recognition for skills and knowledge acquired outside the traditional educational setting. It challenges conventional barriers to education by acknowledging that learning occurs in various contexts – be it through work, life experiences, or informal education. RPL enables individuals who don’t have formal qualifications but possess valuable skills and knowledge to gain access to higher education.

To quote a recent article in The Irish Times , the “prior learning” can be acquired in all kinds of ways, but often it is divided into three distinct categories: formal learning, non-formal learning and informal learning. In this sense, RPL allows learners to really focus on all of the skills, experiential learning and informal learning acquired over their lifetime. RPL provides a pathway for individuals who might otherwise be excluded from higher education. This includes adult learners who wish to return to education later in life and people from backgrounds underrepresented in higher education. RPL empowers these individuals by recognising their unique experiences and skills, thereby opening doors to new educational and career opportunities. It renders visible and gives formal value to the knowledge, skills, and competences that individuals have obtained. It acknowledges that learning happens everywhere – and all the time.

Navigating the RPL Journey - Today

During our recent event ‘Navigating the RPL Journey: Engaging with Employers’ held at TU Dublin Enterprise Academy we gained valuable insights and learnings from colleagues in Ireland and internationally. To help set the context for the day, we heard from Dr Claire McBride, Head of TU Dublin Enterprise Academy and Claire McGee, Head of Education and Innovation Policy, Ibec about skills shortages, future talent needs, the importance of enterprise agility and the need for dynamic talent-development strategies. According to the OECD Skills Strategy , Ireland performs poorly in terms of investment in workforce development and lifelong learning and this points to a need to empower enterprises and employees to gain much-need skills and qualifications faster and in a cost-effective manner.

We also learned from Susan Forseille's presentation 'A Perspective on RPL: the Credit Bank' , about the great opportunities that exist and the valuable role that RPL can make in terms of helping to address skills needs. Examples such as the Credit Back at Thompson Rivers University, Canada where PLAR (Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition) is used to help students gain credits for learning they have already acquired through informal or experiential learning. This has created over 100 pathways for learners, and the credit bank accounts for 67% of all TRU’s PLAR credits. This is exemplary in terms of what can be achieved.

We saw some excellent examples of successful collaboration in a case study from TU Dublin Enterprise Academy and Screen Ireland , highlighting how complex collaborations such as this can succeed using frameworks such as PAR (Participatory Action Research) to recognise and underpin experience for providing accreditation in work-based learning. This presentation really highlights the complexity of these types of collaborations and the degree to which both internal and external engagement are necessary. Some excellent learning outcomes from this presentation delivered by Hugh McAtamney, Senior Engagement Manager for the Creative & Culture Sector are available to explore here .

According to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report (2023) , 23% of jobs will change and 44% of workers core skills are expected to change in the next five years. The challenges that come with this rapid change were discussed by Balzhan Orazbayeva University Industry Innovation Network (UIIN ) in 'Positioning RPL in the Landscape of Higher Education-Enterprise Engagement' which highlights the need for external engagement and university-industry cooperation. We are already seeing how market demands will continue to have an impact in this area. Enterprise will be looking for effective ways to increase staff capacity, skills and productivity. In general, this will place a great emphasis on people needing to upskill or reskill and this is where RPL can really make an impact.

Outcomes for Lifelong Learning

But what kind of outcomes do RPL learners have? According to the PLA BOOST Targeted Study of Prior Learning Assessment and Adult Student Outcomes in 2020 , students who have been able to get their prior learning assessed were more likely to complete college credentials than non-PLA students.

RPL candidates possess skills and experience that drive classroom discussion and class performance forward and are often acknowledged as exemplar students. By acknowledging varied learning paths, RPL helps to enrich the educational landscape, bringing a wealth of real-world experiences and perspectives into academic institutions. This not only benefits the learners themselves but also enhances the learning environment.

This is also evident in many of our RPL Learner Stories .

Challenges and Future Prospects

Despite the numerous benefits of RPL, it is not without its challenges, which include ensuring quality and rigour in the recognition process, consistency and availability, and gaining widespread acceptance and understanding of RPL within educational institutions and the broader community. These challenges are not unique to Ireland, as according to the 2023 Update of the European Inventory of Validation of Informal and Non-Formal Learning , some of the issues listed across countries are fragmented institutional setups across countries overall, and a lack of robust coordination systems for sector-wide collaboration across relevant bodies.

In terms of visibility, the Prior Learning website offers valuable information, guidance and resources to those who are considering RPL in addition to dedicated RPL web pages at each of our partner institutes which has increased the visibility of RPL.

Availability has increased by building staff capacity through Project Leads and through the delivery of the Digital Badge.

The challenge of consistency is continually being addressed through initiatives such as the Pilot Framework in Higher Education . In many ways, we are only getting started on these and there is much work still to be done towards sectoral consistency. There is a need for ongoing advocacy, research, and policy development to support the co-ordination and availability of RPL.

Want to hear more? Join us for the 5th VPL Biennale, May 2024

The 5th Validation of Prior Learning Biennale , located in Kilkenny, Ireland from 6-8 May 2024. The conference, jointly hosted by Canada, Ireland and the USA, will discuss validation of prior learning in the context of our conference theme: ‘People, validation and power: democracy in action?’ This event will offer the opportunity to explore approaches to validation, the systems used and the potential they offer. It will also consider underlying forces at play, challenges faced, solutions developed, and what all of this means for individuals, for societies, for skills, for inclusion and mobility in the bigger picture of our global practices today.

This is a wonderful opportunity to learn from others, collaborate, network and share experiences and expertise. Learn more or register to attend at https://vplbiennale.org/

Find out more about the National Recognition of Prior Learning Project: www.priorlearning.ie

Join the Conversation…

We invite you to join the conversation about Recognition of Prior Learning. Share your thoughts, experiences, and insights on how RPL has impacted your life or the lives of those around you. What challenges do you see in the future of RPL, and how can we work together to overcome them?

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