RPL and Credit Transfer

You should not have to prove the same thing twice

If you have been operating a machine for years, or you already hold a ticket from another training provider, you should not have to sit through training that teaches you what you do every day.

Pluto Training recognises skills, knowledge and qualifications you have already achieved. There are two ways we do that.

Which one applies to me?

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL is an assessment process. Instead of putting you through the training, we assess what you can already do against the requirements of the unit.

It is available for every unit we deliver.

What counts as learning

Competency does not only come from a classroom. We recognise learning gained through:

• Formal learning — structured training that led to a qualification or Statement of Attainment.
• Non-formal learning — structured training that did not lead to formal certification, such as an in-house program run by your employer.
• Informal learning — skills built through work experience, on-site practice, or life experience.
• Volunteer and community work.

How to apply

1. Get in touch. Call us and ask about RPL for the unit you are after. We will send you an RPL application kit.
2. Talk it through with an assessor. Before you spend time gathering paperwork, an assessor will explain what evidence is required, how you will be assessed, what it costs, and give you a frank view of whether you are likely to succeed.
3. Gather your evidence. Use the checklist in your kit. We will tell you exactly what we need.
4. Submit your application with all supporting evidence.
5. Assessment. Your assessor reviews your evidence and may ask you to demonstrate practical skills or answer questions about how you work.
6. Outcome in writing, with reasons. You will receive your outcome in writing within 21 days of us receiving a complete application.

What evidence can I submit?

All evidence must meet the rules of evidence — it must be valid, sufficient, authentic and current. Assessment decisions are made in accordance with the principles of assessment: fair, flexible, valid and reliable.

If you are unsure whether something counts, send it in anyway and we will tell you.

Possible outcomes

You will be advised of the outcome in writing. There are three possibilities.

• Competent through RPL — you have demonstrated everything required. The unit is awarded and appears on your Statement of Attainment exactly as it would if you had completed the training.
• Partial RPL — you have demonstrated some of the requirements. We will agree a gap training and assessment plan with you covering only what is left.
• RPL not granted — the evidence was not sufficient to demonstrate competency. This is not a fail and it does not go on any record. We will talk you through the training pathway instead.

An RPL outcome carries exactly the same weight as completing the training. There is no marking on your certification to indicate the pathway you took.

What RPL costs

RPL is charged from $150 per unit.

Where validating your prior learning requires work beyond that — for example, arranging a workplace observation or verifying evidence with a former employer — an additional charge may apply. Any additional charge will be agreed with you in writing before it is incurred. Nothing is ever charged that you have not agreed to first.

Once an RPL assessment has commenced, fees are generally non-refundable. See Fees, Charges and Refunds.

Gap training

If RPL gets you part of the way, we will agree a training plan and costing with you for the balance. Gap training is charged pro rata on a unit-by-unit basis against the published course fee — you pay for what you need, not for the whole course.

Credit Transfer

Credit Transfer recognises nationally recognised training you have already completed with another Australian RTO.

It is granted where the unit matches the one you need exactly, or has been deemed equivalent under training package transition arrangements.

Am I eligible?

You can apply for Credit Transfer if you hold either:

• AQF certification documentation — a qualification or Statement of Attainment — issued by an Australian RTO or an AQF-authorised issuing organisation, or
• An authenticated USI transcript showing the completed unit.

How to apply

1. Request a Credit Transfer application form from us.
2. Provide your evidence — the original certification for us to sight, a certified copy, or an authenticated USI transcript.
3. We verify it. We check the documentation is authentic, which may involve reviewing your USI transcript or contacting the issuing organisation.
4. Outcome in writing. Where Credit Transfer is granted, you will not need to undertake any training or assessment for that unit.

If you cannot find your old certificate, your USI transcript will show every nationally recognised unit you have ever completed. You can access it free at usi.gov.au.

National recognition

Pluto Training recognises AQF qualifications and Statements of Attainment issued by all Australian Registered Training Organisations.

As an RTO we are required to apply Credit Transfer for units and qualifications that are equivalent, in accordance with the Standards for Registered Training Organisations. This is an obligation, not a courtesy.

A note on licensed outcomes

Some units lead to a licence issued by a work health and safety regulator rather than by us. Where a licensing regulator mandates a specific assessment instrument, recognition pathways may be limited or unavailable for that unit, and any assessment must follow the process the regulator requires.

If you are asking about a unit of this kind, contact us and we will explain exactly what applies before you spend anything.

Reasonable adjustment

Reasonable adjustments are available during the RPL process, just as they are during training.

If reading, writing or paperwork is a barrier, tell us. RPL is often a better fit than a training course for experienced operators in this position, because it is built around demonstrating what you can do rather than writing about it.

Any adjustment must not compromise the integrity of the assessment, the requirements of the unit, or any applicable licensing or work health and safety requirements. See Student Support.

If you disagree with a decision

You have the right to appeal an RPL or Credit Transfer decision.

Speak to your assessor first — they may reassess. If you are still not satisfied, lodge a formal appeal. It costs nothing, you can bring a support person, and it will not be held against you.

View Complaints and Appeals

Apply or find out more

Tell us what you have done and what ticket you need. We will tell you honestly whether RPL is worth your time.

Related pages

• Fees, Charges and Refunds
• Enrolment Information
• Student Handbook
• Complaints and Appeals

This policy is reviewed annually. Current version: V1.0 — July 2026. Next review: July 2027.

Approved by: Chief Executive Officer, Pluto Training Pty Ltd