You’ve probably heard by now that the Australian National VET Regulator, ASQA, has once again flagged Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) as one of its regulatory risk priorities for 2024-2025. Yes, RPL is still on their radar – and not for the first time. But here's the real question: is ASQA really addressing the root of the problem, or are they missing the forest for the trees?
ASQA's primary concern? Non-rigorous RPL practices and qualifications are being handed out like candy to individuals who lack the necessary skills and competencies. This focus, while understandable, seems to entirely miss the elephant in the room. The true crisis lies not in RPL being improperly applied but in RPL not being applied at all! The latest research tells a compelling story, but it’s not the one ASQA seems to be listening to.
ASQA's Singular Focus: Non-Rigorous RPL Practices
ASQA’s emphasis on the “non-rigorous” application of RPL is not new, but it continues to dominate the discussion. Their primary concern revolves around ensuring that people are not issued qualifications through RPL unless they truly have the competencies required. But are they turning a blind eye to the bigger picture?
Sure, it’s essential to ensure that RPL is conducted properly. Issuing qualifications to individuals without the necessary skills can harm industries and undermine trust in the VET system. However, this laser-like focus on a small subset of RPL problems narrows ASQA’s regulatory priorities to an alarming degree. ASQA needs to widen its scope to address the structural issues that plague RPL in the broader VET landscape.
The Real Risk: RPL Not Being Used at All
What ASQA seems to be overlooking is a much larger and more concerning issue: the widespread lack of access to RPL in the first place. According to recent research by Osborne and Serich (2020), there is limited granting of RPL in the Australian VET system, and this trend has been declining over recent years. In 2018, less than 5% of all successful subject results were granted through RPL. Worse yet, fewer than 3% of all students successfully completed any subjects through RPL.
Let that sink in for a moment. Despite RPL being a fundamental part of Australia’s education system – an essential mechanism that recognises individuals’ prior learning and work experience – it’s practically non-existent in practice. The very people who would benefit from RPL the most are the ones missing out.
If ASQA were truly concerned about the risks posed by improper RPL, then this should be their primary focus: the fact that learners are not getting the opportunity to use RPL at all!
Licensing Bodies and RPL: More Than Meets the Eye
Another troubling issue highlighted in the research is the attitude of licensing bodies towards RPL. High rates of application rejection due to inadequate evidence to support competency assessments in key areas are another roadblock that’s being ignored. While this might sound like an RPL issue, it’s actually a failure of process, design, and support.
For RPL to work effectively, both learners and industry stakeholders need clear guidance on how to provide and assess evidence of competency. But when licensing bodies reject RPL applications because they don’t see the “right kind” of evidence, it suggests that the problem is much bigger than just a lack of rigour in RPL applications – it’s a systemic issue. The pathway between RPL and actual qualification seems murky, underdeveloped, and disconnected from real-world application.
This isn’t just about ASQA setting new rules. It’s about industry buy-in, standardised guidelines, and ensuring that RPL is accessible, understandable, and ultimately usable by the people it was designed to help.
The Misguided RPL Focus: Quality Takes a Back Seat
It’s easy to focus on low-hanging fruit – like non-rigorous practices or improper assessments – but that completely ignores the systemic flaws that are hindering the VET sector’s growth and accountability. When RPL isn’t granted or isn’t even offered to learners, that’s not just a loss for the students. It’s a loss for industries that need skilled workers. It’s a loss for the entire VET sector, which is built on recognising and building upon existing skills. And ultimately, it’s a loss for Australia’s workforce.
So, why is ASQA so obsessed with the minority of cases where RPL is being improperly applied? Why isn’t their focus on creating clear, transparent, and accessible pathways for RPL so that it can become the empowering tool it was always intended to be?
Turning RPL Into a Compliance Nightmare
The unfortunate reality is that RPL has become a compliance nightmare. Instead of being a smooth, streamlined process where students' prior learning and work experience are respected, RPL is now surrounded by mountains of paperwork and red tape. Students are often required to jump through hoops just to prove their skills, with the process sometimes being more grueling than just completing the course itself. This is not how RPL was supposed to function.
The layers of compliance and administrative burden have driven both students and providers away from even attempting RPL. Instead of serving as a quick and fair way to assess someone’s existing skills, it’s become a bureaucratic bottleneck that many don’t have the time, patience, or resources to navigate.
The question we should be asking is: Why hasn’t ASQA addressed this fundamental issue? Rather than adding more regulation, shouldn’t we be streamlining the process and ensuring that RPL works the way it was designed to?
Where Is the Student in All of This?
One of the most troubling aspects of this entire situation is that the student – the individual at the heart of the VET system – is completely overlooked in this conversation. The regulatory bodies, particularly ASQA, are so focused on compliance and "non-rigorous" practices that they have forgotten about the people who actually matter: the students.
Students are often confused by the process, left in the dark about how to apply for RPL, and forced to navigate a sea of confusing requirements. Providers, too, are overwhelmed by the burdens of compliance and unsure of how to balance meeting regulatory requirements with offering a smooth, student-centred process.
Instead of making RPL an easy and accessible path for students to get recognition for their skills, ASQA’s approach has turned it into a minefield of obstacles.
The Unintended Consequences of ASQA’s Approach
ASQA’s strict approach to RPL has led to some pretty significant unintended consequences. Rather than ensuring that students are properly assessed, it has created a system that is so convoluted that many learners don’t even attempt to apply for RPL. In doing so, we’re robbing them of the chance to have their existing skills recognised, forcing them to repeat training they’ve already completed or, worse, to leave the system entirely.
In addition, ASQA’s focus on non-rigorous practices has shifted the narrative away from where it needs to be. By only discussing the potential for fraud or misconduct in RPL, they’re painting the entire VET sector with a broad brush. But the real issue is not fraud – it’s access, opportunity, and fairness. By tightening the noose on RPL providers, ASQA is inadvertently discouraging providers from even offering it in the first place.
RPL Needs Reform, Not Restriction
ASQA’s focus on RPL is misguided, and it’s time for a comprehensive overhaul of the system. Rather than trying to crack down on non-rigorous practices, ASQA should be looking at ways to make RPL more accessible, understandable, and useful to students and industries alike.
RPL has the potential to be an incredible tool for Australia’s workforce, allowing individuals to leverage their experience and skills in meaningful ways. But for that to happen, ASQA needs to get out of the way and allow providers to offer RPL in a way that benefits learners, not just check boxes on a compliance form.
The system needs a complete redesign, starting with clear, simple guidelines that are aligned with real-world industry needs. Providers should be encouraged, not discouraged, to offer RPL to their students, and the process should be streamlined to make it easy, fast, and fair. This can only happen with industry collaboration, transparent pathways, and most importantly, a focus on the student.
The Real Problem with ASQA’s Approach
The ongoing issues with RPL are not solely due to a lack of rigour or compliance. The real problem is that RPL is being overlooked and underutilised by both students and providers alike. ASQA’s focus on cracking down on non-rigorous practices ignores the broader systemic issues that are keeping RPL from being the valuable tool it should be.
It’s time for a new approach – one that recognises the importance of RPL in building a skilled workforce and empowering individuals to take control of their own learning journey. ASQA needs to move beyond compliance for the sake of compliance and start focusing on making RPL accessible, transparent, and effective for all students.
Australia’s workforce deserves a VET system that values their experience, respects their skills, and gives them the recognition they deserve. It’s time for ASQA to stop playing watchdog and start working with the sector to create a system that truly works.
