IPERIA at the global RPL conference

The RPL biennial is an opportunity for policymakers, researchers, users, practitioners, and other stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of VPL (one of the multiple international terms for RPL) to share their knowledge, ideas, and visions, learn from each other's experiences and create viable solutions. Their meeting in Kilkenny, Ireland, for the 5th edition of this biennial led to two days of exchanges and insights on the global panorama of Recognition of Prior Learning.

In terms of RPL, France stands as a model of good practices. It is at the heart of current events as it has undergone a reform initiated by the State in 2021. In this reform, the individual employment and domestic work sector is an example of successful RPL implementation, and IPERIA is identified as an expert and key actor in this success.

Our team on site in Ireland, led by Nadège Turco, Deputy Director, and including Camille Savre, Head of the Professional Certifications and Skills design and management department, as well as Marion Marty, Head of European and International Projects, shared this expertise with the audience.

Nadège Turco discussed what makes us particularly innovative in terms of processes within the French RPL landscape, reminding us that "in our sector, we have been pioneers and precursors in its deployment" as we have been implementing it for 20 years now. She detailed our action as follows: "an observer role in defining needs, an stakeholder role in supporting professional pathways, and a skills certifying role." Nadège Turco also emphasized our instigator role, explaining, "We conduct all sorts of experiments at national and supranational levels to provide food for thought for the sector, particularly within the RPL framework."

Our expertise and involvement in REVA experiments have strongly contributed to creating a new RPL model, and the results are clearly visible.

Marion Marty first recalled, "The reform introduced some innovations for RPL in France and more specifically in terms of simplification, modernization and system security. One of the major points is the creation of a national operator, France VAE, a government RPL service". Our co-worker also emphasized the "support throughout the process, with the pathway architect, a new actor who supports candidates through all stages of the process" and whose role was tested during the experiment.

Pathway architect: We created the model, and our teams have been working on it for a long time. This model has proven itself. Camille Savre shared the remarkable results of the second experiment: "We supported 234 eligible candidates through to the jury. The success rate so far is excellent: 99%! And this over shorter timeframes, 7 months on average".

As Nadège Turco reminded, RPL is particularly suited to domestic work, where most employees have no diploma and "learn their profession in the field, year after year," adding that "RPL highlights the skills of workers who are essential but often invisible in our society."

Even before the REVA experiment, we demonstrated that RPL enables our audiences to achieve better professional and social integration, develop a sense of work accomplishment, and gain confidence, which encourages them to commit long-term to the sector and with us.

RPL can be a starting point for our audiences to consider new professional careers. Our team shared this reality with Marie-Hélène’s testimonial, who, after being supported by our Sector-specific career guidance and development consulting team for RPL certification, became a jury member for IPERIA.

"This presents an advantage because our colleagues engage long-term in professionalization and skill development. This helps make the sector more attractive and retain our employees. You, therefore, understand why the government asked us to participate in the experiment that led to the reform. Our practices are innovative and effective, and we also have a meaningful mission in society," concluded Nadège Turco before the international stakeholders gathered in Ireland. We are proud to have shared this win-win dimension with them.