Promissory notes

On the merry-go-round of L&D trends, hot topics come and go, only to return at some unspecified time in the future.

The latest one to swing by once again appears to be the Recognition of Prior Learning, or RPL for short.

Conceptually, RPL makes a lot of sense. If you can prove that you’ve already met a learning outcome, then you can gain credit for a training assignment that’s designed to meet it, thereby saving redundant time, effort and cost.

The evidence of the prior learning may take various forms – such as a statement of attainment, a resume of experience, or an active assessment – depending on the policy of the recogniser.

In The definition of insanity for example, I proposed an RPL recourse for compliance training based on accreditation.

The reason why I mention it here is because while I was chatting to Srividya Kumar about skills-based learning strategy on her podcast, I made a mental note that we need to be mindful of the difference between RPL and skill validation.

Even though many recognisers of prior learning share ASQA’s position that “RPL recognises the skills you’ve gained through previous training, work, or life experience”, I urge caution.

If you’re trying to determine someone’s mastery of a skill, you have to be wary of whether a course they completed or a qualification they attained assessed the application of that skill – which may be impossible given the sheer number of courses and qualifications in the marketplace. Even if they were provided by prestigious institutions, how much insight do you really have into how they were delivered?

For example, just because they did a course on PowerBI doesn’t mean they can build a dashboard. Or just because they have a degree doesn’t mean they can do… anything.

Similarly, just because they’ve been a Data Analyst for 3 years doesn’t mean they were a good one. A portfolio of work is a giant leap forward, but even then there is a degree of separation if it was done externally.

My intention here is not to dunk on RPL. On the contrary, I think it is generally a helpful indicator of skill. However my point is it remains promissory. Your certificate or degree promises you can do something, but you haven’t yet demonstrated it, at least in the context of our organisation.

This is where validation comes in. As it says on the tin, RPL recognises learning; in contrast, validation assesses its application on the job.

Ultimately I don’t care how you learned a skill. Show me how you’ve used it in the service of our business.