Can Informal Learning Be Recognised Through RPL?

Yes, informal learning can be recognised through Recognition of Prior Learning in Australia.

Informal learning develops through everyday experience rather than a structured course. It may come from work, family responsibilities, volunteering, community involvement, hobbies, sport, self-directed projects or other life activities.

The experience itself is not automatically recognised. A qualified assessor from an authorised Registered Training Organisation must determine whether your current skills and knowledge meet the relevant qualification or unit requirements.

Evidence may include work samples, photographs, project records, references, activity logs, demonstrations and professional conversations. It must be valid, sufficient, authentic and current.

RPL Access Australia can help you identify possible evidence and organise a portfolio. It does not make competency decisions or issue qualifications; those responsibilities remain with the RTO.

Key takeaways

• Informal learning is a recognised source of prior learning in Australia.
• It can come from work, social, family, hobby and leisure activities.
• Life experience alone does not guarantee RPL.
• The assessor evaluates what you can currently do—not only how long you have done an activity.
• Informal learning may be harder to document, so a combination of evidence is often useful.
• Observation, questioning and practical assessment can supplement limited paperwork.
• Informal learning can support full or partial RPL, depending on the evidence and unit requirements.
• Licensing, placement and regulatory conditions may still apply.

Can informal learning be recognised through RPL?

Potentially, yes.

The Australian Qualifications Framework defines RPL as an assessment process covering relevant formal, informal and non-formal learning.

ASQA explains that informal learning can occur through work-related, social, family, hobby or leisure activities. TAFE NSW likewise lists community involvement, hobbies, leisure activities and committee membership as possible life-experience evidence.

This means valuable learning does not have to come from a classroom or lead to a certificate before it can be considered.

However, the RTO must still apply a rigorous assessment process. It cannot grant recognition merely because an applicant has participated in an activity.

See how Recognition of Prior Learning works for the full process.

What is informal learning?

Informal learning is learning that happens through experience and is not organised as a structured program with defined learning outcomes, teaching time or formal assessment.

Examples include learning through:

• Day-to-day work
• Family responsibilities
• Community activities
• Volunteer roles
• Hobbies
• Sport
• Committee participation
• Self-directed projects
• Mentoring conversations
• Problem-solving
• Caring responsibilities
• Running a household or community event

You may not have set out to study, but you developed skills by doing, observing, practising, adapting and solving real problems.

Formal, non-formal and informal learning compared

Learning type What it means Examples Possible recognition pathway Formal learning Structured learning leading to an accredited qualification or recognised result Certificate, diploma, degree or statement of attainment Credit transfer or RPL Non-formal learning Structured learning that does not lead to an AQF qualification Workplace course, industry workshop, vendor training or community program RPL Informal learning Unstructured learning gained through everyday activities and experience Work, family, hobbies, volunteering, sport or self-directed projects RPL The labels describe how learning occurred. The assessor still focuses on whether the resulting competency meets the target requirements.

What kinds of informal learning may count?

Learning through work

You may have developed skills without completing a formal course, such as:

• Training new staff
• Solving customer problems
• Planning rosters
• Managing stock
• Operating equipment
• Preparing reports
• Coordinating projects
• Applying safety procedures
• Improving workplace systems

A job title or years of employment alone are not enough. Evidence must show the tasks and level of performance.

Family and caring responsibilities

Family experience may build skills in:

• Scheduling
• Budgeting
• Communication
• Advocacy
• Recordkeeping
• Coordinating services
• Supporting daily activities
• Responding to changing needs

This experience may be relevant to some units, but it does not automatically satisfy professional, clinical, regulated or workplace requirements. Family caregiving is not always equivalent to paid care work under industry conditions.

Community involvement

Community activities may develop:

• Event planning
• Administration
• Fundraising
• Stakeholder communication
• Meeting coordination
• Volunteer supervision
• Public speaking
• Governance
• Risk management

Membership or attendance alone does not demonstrate competency. Explain your personal role and outputs.

Hobbies and personal projects

Relevant examples might include:

• Building or repairing items
• Photography and video production
• Coding websites or applications
• Gardening and landscaping
• Cooking for events
• Maintaining vehicles
• Graphic design
• Managing online communities
• Making garments or furniture
• Home renovation

Personal projects can be useful evidence, but some units require workplace conditions, commercial standards, interactions with others or licensed supervision.

Sport and recreation

Sport may develop skills in:

• Coaching
• Team leadership
• Event administration
• Equipment management
• Safety procedures
• Communication
• Conflict management
• Planning sessions

Participation as a player is different from coaching, coordinating or managing activities.

Self-directed learning

People may learn through:

• Reading
• Tutorials
• Podcasts
• Online videos
• Practice exercises
• Industry forums
• Mentoring
• Experimentation
• Personal research

Consuming information does not by itself prove competency. The portfolio should show how you applied the learning and the outcomes achieved.

Informal business activity

Side projects, family businesses and occasional paid work may build skills in:

• Quoting
• Customer service
• Marketing
• Bookkeeping
• Project delivery
• Supplier coordination
• Quality control

Records and client verification can help establish authenticity.

What makes informal learning suitable for RPL?

The learning should be:

Relevant

It must align with the skills, knowledge and assessment conditions of the target unit.

Demonstrated

You need to show what you can do—not simply state that you learned it.

Current

The assessor must be satisfied that your competency reflects present requirements.

Substantial

You may need experience across a suitable range of tasks, contexts and occasions.

Verifiable

Evidence should allow the RTO to confirm your claims through documents, third parties or direct assessment.

Your own

Where others were involved, identify your personal contribution.

What evidence can prove informal learning?

Informal learning often has no transcript, so a portfolio may combine different evidence types.

Work samples

Examples include:

• Plans
• Reports
• Designs
• Budgets
• Schedules
• Meeting minutes
• Policies
• Marketing materials
• Project outputs
• Technical files
• Completed products

Add a note explaining the date, context, your role and what each sample demonstrates.

Activity records

• Diaries
• Logbooks
• Calendars
• Rosters
• Checklists
• Project registers
• Committee records
• Event programs
• Maintenance logs
• Training notes

Self-created records may need independent verification or direct assessment.

Third-party evidence

• Employer or supervisor reference
• Client endorsement
• Community coordinator statement
• Committee office-bearer report
• Coach or mentor verification
• Colleague testimony

A useful statement describes specific tasks the person directly observed, dates, frequency, independence and performance. A declaration should not normally be the only evidence.

Photographs, video and audio

Media may show:

• You performing a task
• The stages of a project
• Equipment used
• A presentation or coaching activity
• Safety procedures
• The completed result

Use captions, dates and supporting records. Obtain consent and protect privacy.

Digital evidence

• File metadata
• Version history
• Website archives
• Project platforms
• Emails
• Online portfolios
• Analytics
• Repository history

Digital evidence should clearly connect you with the work.

Professional conversation

The assessor may ask you to explain:

• How you completed a task
• Why you chose a method
• How you handled risks
• How you solved problems
• How you checked quality
• How you adapted to a different situation

Practical demonstration

You may be asked to perform a task in a real or simulated workplace.

Use the RPL evidence checklist to organise the material you already have.

Turning life experience into assessable evidence

A helpful method is to move from activity to skill to proof.

Informal activity Possible skill Evidence that may help Organised community events Planning and stakeholder coordination Schedules, budgets, event materials, photos and coordinator reference Managed a sports club committee Governance and administration Agendas, minutes, policies, reports and office-bearer verification Built websites as a hobby Web development and project delivery Portfolio, version history, project notes and practical task Cared for a family member Communication and service coordination De-identified records, third-party evidence and assessment activities Repaired equipment at home Technical problem-solving Photos, maintenance records, explanation and practical demonstration Managed household finances Budgeting and recordkeeping Templates, de-identified records and challenge task These examples do not mean the activity automatically meets a unit. The RTO must compare it with the complete requirements.

The four rules of informal-learning evidence

Validity

The evidence must relate directly to the target unit.

For example, photographs of a finished garden may support landscaping claims, but they may not show planning, soil preparation, equipment use or safety.

Sufficiency

There must be enough quality, quantity and relevance for a sound judgement.

One event or project may not demonstrate consistent performance across all required conditions.

Authenticity

The assessor must be confident that the evidence is your own work.

Questions, metadata, referee checks and observation may be used.

Currency

The evidence must demonstrate current skills and knowledge.

Older learning may need recent practice, current knowledge questions or a practical assessment.

Does informal learning need documents?

Not always, but documents can make verification easier.

If you have limited paperwork, ask the RTO whether it can use:

• Professional conversation
• Practical demonstration
• Workplace observation
• Challenge task
• Third-party interview
• Simulation
• Supplementary questions

RPL without conventional documents is possible in some circumstances, but the assessor still needs enough reliable evidence to make a competency decision.

Does experience length determine the result?

No universal number of years applies to all RPL applications.

A long period of experience does not automatically prove the full unit, while a shorter period involving substantial and varied responsibility may produce useful evidence.

The assessor considers:

• Task range
• Complexity
• Frequency
• Independence
• Work conditions
• Evidence quality
• Current competency
• Unit-specific requirements

Some training products, licensing pathways or funding programs may specify minimum experience or workplace conditions. Check the exact requirements rather than applying one rule to every qualification.

Can family responsibilities count?

Potentially, when they produce learning relevant to the units.

However, family activity may not occur under the same conditions as a regulated workplace. For example, caring for a relative may develop communication and organisation skills but may not cover professional boundaries, workplace documentation, team practice, mandatory reporting or supervised clinical tasks.

The RTO may grant partial recognition, request direct assessment or identify gap training.

Protect the privacy and dignity of family members. Do not submit personal health or care information without lawful authority and clear necessity.

Can hobbies count towards trade RPL?

They may contribute evidence, but trade units often require workplace performance, current safety practices, specific equipment, multiple jobs and licensing conditions.

A person who regularly repairs vehicles, builds furniture or completes home renovations may have relevant skills. The assessor may still require:

• Practical observation
• Technical questions
• Evidence across different tasks
• Current WHS knowledge
• Workplace records
• Licensed or supervised experience

Recognition does not automatically grant a trade or contractor licence.

Can online self-learning count?

Potentially.

Online tutorials, forums and independent research may help explain how you learned. Stronger evidence demonstrates application, such as:

• A completed project
• Version history
• Client or user feedback
• Technical documentation
• Problem-solving examples
• Practical demonstration

Certificates from non-accredited online courses may be supporting evidence, but they are not automatically equivalent to nationally recognised units.

Can informal learning from overseas count?

Potentially, yes.

Informal learning is not excluded because it occurred overseas. The RTO may require:

• Verifiable records
• Referees with current contact details
• Certified English translations
• Work samples
• Practical demonstration
• Assessment of Australian-context knowledge

Australian laws, WHS requirements, codes, workplace communication and industry standards may need separate assessment.

An RPL outcome does not guarantee a licence, migration skills assessment or visa.

Informal learning versus non-formal training

These terms are sometimes confused.

• Informal learning is generally unstructured and develops through everyday experience.
• Non-formal learning is structured but does not lead to an AQF qualification.

For example:

• Learning spreadsheet skills while managing club finances is informal learning.
• Completing a structured workplace spreadsheet workshop without an accredited result is non-formal learning.

Both may support RPL when relevant and properly evidenced.

Can informal learning lead to a full qualification?

Potentially, if the assessor confirms competency in every required unit and all qualification requirements are met.

Possible outcomes include:

• Full RPL
• Partial RPL
• Recognition of selected units
• RPL combined with credit transfer
• RPL combined with gap training
• No recognition where the evidence is insufficient

No responsible provider can guarantee a complete qualification before assessment.

When might informal learning not be enough?

Informal evidence may be insufficient when:

• It does not match the unit requirements
• It shows observation rather than performance
• It covers only one narrow task
• It cannot be authenticated
• It is outdated
• It lacks required workplace conditions
• Licensing rules prevent recognition
• Mandatory placement or supervised practice is not demonstrated
• Practical skills cannot be confirmed

This does not mean the learning has no value. It may support partial RPL or help identify a shorter gap-training pathway.

Privacy and consent

Informal activities may involve family members, clients, children or community participants.

Do not submit:

• Identifying health or care records
• Children’s personal information
• Private financial details
• Passwords
• Confidential committee documents
• Images without permission
• Another person’s work as your own

Ask whether the RTO can accept redacted samples, blank templates, authorised verification or practical assessment.

How to prepare informal learning for RPL

1. Identify the qualification

Check current qualifications, units and assessment conditions on training.gov.au.

2. List where you learned each skill

Include work, family, community, hobbies, sport and personal projects.

3. Describe actual tasks

Write what you personally completed, decided, produced, managed or solved.

4. Record the context

Note dates, frequency, responsibility, tools, other people involved and the outcome.

5. Match tasks to units

Look for genuine alignment. Do not force unrelated experience into a qualification.

6. Collect varied evidence

Combine samples, records, third-party verification and media where possible.

7. Protect privacy

De-identify sensitive records and obtain permission.

8. Identify evidence gaps

Note which claims rely only on your statement and may need direct assessment.

9. Prepare to demonstrate skills

Practise explaining your decisions and completing relevant tasks.

10. Request an RTO assessment plan

Confirm the units, methods, fees, timeframes, practical requirements and gap-training options.

Common mistakes

Describing activities instead of skills

“Member of a club for five years” says little about what you can do.

Treating participation as competency

Attendance, observation or interest do not necessarily demonstrate performance.

Using a résumé as the only evidence

A résumé summarises claims but may not verify them.

Providing only self-written records

Add third-party evidence or direct assessment where possible.

Claiming a team’s work

Identify your individual contribution.

Ignoring current requirements

Informal learning must be assessed against the current unit.

Breaching privacy

Use consent, redaction and secure processes.

Assuming life experience lowers the assessment standard

RPL applies the same competency requirements as other assessment pathways.

Warning signs of non-genuine RPL offers

Be cautious if a business:

• Guarantees a qualification from life experience alone
• Requires only a résumé or self-declaration
• Says no assessment is needed
• Does not identify the issuing RTO
• Promises certification in a few days
• Encourages fabricated references or evidence
• Ignores practical or workplace requirements
• Guarantees a licence, job or visa

Quality RPL recognises real competency without weakening qualification standards.

Frequently asked questions

What is an example of informal learning?

Learning project-management skills while organising a community event is one example. The applicant would still need evidence showing the tasks and outcomes.

Can hobbies be used as RPL evidence?

Yes, relevant hobbies may support RPL. Work samples, activity records, photographs, third-party evidence and practical assessment can help demonstrate competency.

Can parenting or caring experience count?

Potentially, where the learning aligns with the units. Professional, workplace and regulated requirements may still need assessment or training.

Can self-taught skills count?

Potentially. The assessor needs evidence that you can apply those skills to the standard required by the qualification.

Do I need a certificate for informal learning?

No. Informal learning usually does not produce a certificate. Other evidence and direct assessment can be used.

Is a reference enough?

Usually not by itself. A reference may be combined with samples, records, questions and observation.

Can informal learning be combined with work experience?

Yes. RPL can assess evidence from formal, non-formal and informal learning together.

Is informal learning the same as non-formal learning?

No. Informal learning is unstructured. Non-formal learning is structured but does not lead to an AQF qualification.

Can informal learning replace mandatory placement?

Only if the RTO determines that the experience and conditions satisfy the applicable requirements. Do not assume that general life experience automatically replaces placement.

Who decides whether informal learning is accepted?

A qualified assessor working for the authorised RTO makes the competency decision. RPL Access Australia can support preparation but cannot approve RPL or issue qualifications.

Turn everyday learning into clear RPL evidence

Informal learning can build valuable vocational skills, even when no course or certificate was involved. A strong application explains what you learned, shows how you applied it and supports the claims with reliable evidence.

RPL Access Australia can help you explore a suitable pathway and organise informal-learning evidence. The authorised RTO remains responsible for assessment, gap decisions and certification.

Start your RPL eligibility check or contact RPL Access Australia to discuss your experience.