What's in it for me?: recognition of prior learning in enterprise-based registered training organisations

The aims of the study reported here were to investigate the nature of recognition within individual enterprises, the processes employed, the strategies in place for promotion and support of recognition, and the perceived benefits for individual employees and the organisation more broadly. A further goal was to determine the barriers and facilitators of recognition - why employees chose to engage or not to engage in the skills recognition process, given their expectations and the expectations of their organisation. Six medium-to-large organisations with large workforces, often dispersed across Australia, were invited to participate in this research. Information for the study was gathered using in-depth, semi-structured interviews. These were conducted with the managers responsible for training in each enterprise as well as with workplace assessors and employees.

The research found that the enterprises and their employees involved in this study provided significant information about how the recognition of prior learning process can operate within enterprise-based training organisations, demonstrating that a ‘one size fits all’ approach is inappropriate in developing such recognition processes. The study found that the place of recognition of prior learning in the enterprise’s overall business and training plans will always evolve according to the needs of the organisation. Recognition is therefore part of broader organisational processes, including the enterprise’s assessment and training agenda. As well, recognition processes within the enterprises studied were complex, requiring extensive infrastructure and a significant commitment to the process from all stakeholders. Where employees had a reasonable level of support in undertaking the process from their employer, there were rarely complaints about any aspects of it. Enterprises see whole-of-organisation benefits in implementing recognition processes, which confirm employees’ skills developed over a period of time and represent significant corporate knowledge. Employees see both organisational and personal benefits from the process, including: having existing personal skills recognised and certified; accessing a process that offered a high degree of flexibility; identifying skill gaps; achieving nationally recognised and portable qualifications which are recognised outside the enterprise; and having opportunities for networking with other staff within their organisations. Show less