RPL Event 16 th May

1. RPL Event 16th May Enda Donnelly Lead Consultant

2. Project aims To identify employers who use RPL to: • a) help employees use their existing skills and knowledge for career development • b) advise employees on matching their skills and knowledge to existing national qualifications and standards in the four nations

3. Key objectives • Identify employers who are using a form of RPL within the workplace • Get the agreement of 5 to participate in detailed research • Produce at least 5 case studies: • covering 5 sector areas • covering the four nations

4. Methodology • Desk research to review existing findings • Contact with SSCs, UKCES, Regulatory bodies, AOs to identify employers • Initial letters sent to potential candidates for case studies • Exploratory discussions with selected employers • Extensive interviews with key people within selected organisations

5. Difficulties • Lack of shared definition of RPL • Time-consuming process in searching for case study employers • Lack of access to those at receiving end of process • Changes in personnel and priorities for organisation

6. 4 nations England – Institute for Conservation Wales – Prospects Care Scotland – Perth and Kinross Social Services Northern Ireland – Henry Brothers Belfast Health Trust / others Distribution of case studies

7. Construction Land based Skills for Care Skills for Health Tourism Henry Brothers Lantra /Poultec / Cargill Prospects Care and Kinross and Perth CC Belfast Health Trust and other agencies Institute for Conservation Sectors covered

8. Some reasons for using RPL • Raise qualification level of workforce • Accelerate process for gaining qualification • Need for employees to be multi-skilled • More inclusive approach to recruitment • Improve confidence/status of individual staff • Support for individual learning pathways

9. RPL and specific groups • Support workers in health service • Potential recruits to construction company • Professionals with high level specialist skills in conservation/restoration • Employees across the Poultry industry • Learners/trainees during probationary period in Residential Care setting • Long term unemployed people seeking career in health and social services

10. Varied RPL Processes • Combination of observation and discussion against NHS Key Skills Framework • Practical skills test and interview for recruitment in manual skills • Detailed selection of evidence, reflection and dialogue with assessor for accreditation for professionals • Achievements logged to obtain industry ‘Passport’ • Reflection and evidence gathering during probation matched to units in Level 3 QCF Diploma • Online profiling tool to record evidence of prior achievements matched to Level 4 SVQ units

11. Benefits of RPL • Relevant to diverse range of working contexts • Improves confidence in learners • Low cost compared to qualifications • Easy to administer e.g. Passport • Qualification achieved more quickly • Reflective process very important within some sectors

12. Challenges relating to RPL • Resource intensive process • Affordability • Lack of awareness by learners of potential RPL opportunity • Perceived difficulty of capturing RPL by some trainers • Restrictions imposed by regulatory bodies • Issue of recognition by academic institutions • Issue of transferability to other employers

13. Overall Reflections • Qualifications not always a priority for employers • Some lack of employer confidence in RPL outcomes • Skills demand related to projected as well as current industry needs • RPL relevant to learning at all levels • ‘Passport’ tool very effective in enabling transferability within the industry • Partnership between organisations very helpful • Reflection very important to some sectors