Alreadyin the trade?
If you've been doing the work for years without the paper to prove it, recognition of prior learning (RPL) turns your experience into a nationally recognised Certificate III.
Your experience, recognised
RPL assesses what you already know and do against the qualification. There's no classroom and no starting from scratch: you show us your work, answer questions about it, and your referees back you up.
Five steps
1. Eligibility check
Free. Upload your résumé below and we'll see how your experience lines up with the qualification.
2. We email you
We write to you about your experience, the units and the fee — honestly, before you commit.
3. Enrol
You give consent, complete a short enrolment form and choose your units. Telling us about yourself, your résumé and your referees are free.
4. Show your skills
Unit by unit in RTA Learning: photos and videos of your work, and your answers to questions about it. Paid in stages as you go.
5. Your certificate
Once every unit is assessed competent, RTA issues your nationally recognised Certificate III.
Does RPL suit you?
Tell us who you are and which qualification you're after, and upload your résumé. Our system reads it to estimate your years in the trade — the main thing we look at for RPL — and shows you the result straight away. A person at RTA then reviews it and contacts you. Nothing is charged and nothing is committed.
What people ask us
What is recognition of prior learning (RPL)?
RPL is an assessment of the skills and knowledge you already have from working in the trade. If you can show you are competent, you are awarded the same nationally recognised Certificate III an apprentice receives — without repeating training you don't need.
Am I eligible?
RPL usually suits people with at least two to three years of hands-on experience in the trade. Use the eligibility check on this page: upload your résumé and we'll tell you whether it looks like a good fit. RTA makes the final decision after a conversation with you.
Is it the same certificate as doing an apprenticeship?
Yes. You receive the same nationally recognised qualification, issued by RTA (RTO 45081). It does not say RPL on it.
What does it cost?
RPL is $5,000 for the full qualification. It is fee-for-service, not government subsidised. You pay in stages as you go — never more than $1,500 at a time — and the first steps (telling us about yourself, your résumé and your referees) are free. You receive a statement of fees with the exact instalments before you enrol.
How long does it take?
It depends mostly on how quickly you gather your evidence. Everything is online in RTA Learning, so you work at your own pace, around your job.
What evidence will I need?
Your résumé, two referees who have seen your work (a current or past employer or supervisor), photos and short videos of you doing the work, and written or spoken answers to questions about how and why you do it. Each unit tells you exactly what it needs.
Do I need to be working in the trade right now?
No, but your experience needs to be recent enough that you can show the skills, and your referees must be able to vouch for your work.
Do I have to attend classes or come to an office?
No. RPL is done online in RTA Learning. If something can only be seen in person, we'll arrange it with you.
Can I do RPL from overseas?
Yes. Candidates who live and work outside Australia can complete RPL online. You'll need a passport to confirm your identity, and you don't need a Unique Student Identifier (USI). We communicate by email.
Do I need a USI?
If you live in Australia, yes — every nationally recognised qualification needs a Unique Student Identifier. It's free and takes a few minutes at usi.gov.au. We'll help if you get stuck.
What if I can't show one or two units?
That's common. We'll talk with you about the gaps and the options — including training in just those units — before you commit to anything.
Which qualifications can I get through RPL?
Certificate III in Printing (ICP31220)
Certificate III in Signs and Graphics (CPC30216)
Certificate III in Picture Framing (MSF30518)
Still have a question? Send us a message or call 0499 024 676. Fees are also set out on our fees page.
Rather talk it through?
Call us and we'll tell you honestly whether RPL is worth applying for. There is no charge for that conversation.
This training is subsidised by the Department of State Growth, Tasmania.